People have been predicting a driverless future in everything from science fiction to pop culture to corporate PR. But now it looks like that future is finally upon us.
Google announced back in 2010 that it logged more than 140,000 miles in a self-driving car as part of a secret project. It’s also shown off modified versions of automakers’ cars altered to be driverless. But now, Google is finally showing off a prototype driverless car of its own. Built in-house, this computer on wheels doesn’t have a steering wheel or brake pedals.
As Google further develops its driverless car technology, the company, drivers and regulators will have to face many technical and legal questions. How will robots determine how to best react to an impending collision? Who’s responsible for a driverless car crash for insurance purposes? It won’t be long until we begin finding answers to these questions and others.
MORE: How Does Google’s Driverless Cars Work?
Ever wonder how Google’s driverless car actually works? Watch this TIME video documenting the journey of this technology up until now.
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