Where’s the Driver?

The future may be closer than anyone thinks, as Nissan recently committed to building commercially viable self-driving cars by the end of the decade. Likely to operate autonomously only on the highway, the first wave of auto-piloted vehicles will rely on assorted cameras and sensors to automatically stay between lane markers, maintain a proper speed and interval in traffic and reduce speed as necessary before entering a curve. Not just a convenience, such “robo-cars” are hoped to help save lives. Over 30,000 people are killed annually in crashes, with the overwhelming majority of them due to driver error. While other automakers, including BMW, Ford, General Motors and Volkswagen have announced development plans for self-driving vehicles, Nissan is the first to announce a planned launch date, and is currently building a proving ground in Japan to put them through their paces.