Google Driver-Less Car Gets a License

While Google's Project Glass has being stealing most of the headlines lately, it's another once far-fetched project that is moving a step closer to becoming reality.

Nevada gave the Mountain View-based search company's dream of putting cars that drive themselves on the street the green light this week.

A Google self-driving car became the first automated vehicle to earn a driver's license when it passed a Nevada driving test.

The desert state has been paving the road for self-driving cars to hit the streets since last June when it passed a law officially conditionally allowing them on public roads.

Then in February, Nevada's Department of Motor Vehicles created guidelines for automated cars to be on the streets, including requiring two people to be in a car at all times.

Now Google's licensed self-driving Toyota Prius passed a driving test in both Carson City and on the Las Vegas strip.

Nevada will require the vehicle to wear a special red license plate that informs drivers that it is an "autonomous car."

The license doesn't mean that the state's roads will be open to all automated vehicles. Nevada law still only allows driver-less cars for testing purposes.

Google began developing the car in 2010 it said to make driving more accessible for handicap people, to cut down on traffic accidents and road congestion.

In the video below, Google shows the car is so easy to drive, even a blind man can do it.

The car uses cameras, pre-programmed maps, road sensors and GPS to navigate and avoid obstacles and get around.

 

Contact Us