According to reports, Google Inc is building cars that don't have steering wheels, accelerator pedals or brake pedals, in an ambitious expansion of the Internet company's efforts to develop self-driving cars.
The small electric cars, which seat two passengers, are currently prototypes that Google has been building through partnerships with automotive suppliers and manufacturers, Google co-founder Sergey Brin said at the Code conference in Southern California on Tuesday, Google aims to build up to 200 such cars in the near term and hopes the vehicles will be available in various cities within a couple of years, he said.
Google has been testing self-driving cars since 2009, incorporating laser sensors and radars into standard automobiles such as the Prius from Toyota Motor Corp and sport-utility vehicles from Toyota luxury car division Lexus. While those vehicles require a human to remain in the driver's seat and to take over in certain situations, the new cars operate completely autonomously.
Below are some of the other features the car also have:
It will seat two people
It will use a combination of laser and radar sensors along with camera data to drive autonomously
Propulsion will be electric, and at the start it will be limited to 25mph (40km/h) to help ensure safety
It will depend on Google’s road maps, built specifically for the programme, and tested on the company’s current fleet of vehicles
The front end of the vehicle is designed to be safer for pedestrians, with a soft foam-like material where a traditional bumper would be, and a more flexible windscreen, which may help reduce injuries
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