Google has announced plans that it will be building its own self-driving cars, rather than modifying vehicles built by other car makers. The car will have no steering wheel, no accelerator, no brake pedal and no controls but it will have a stop-go button. Pictures released by Google show the car having a “friendly” face, which makes it seem like harmless and helps people accept self-driving technology.
The two-seater prototype vehicle is Google’s incarnation of how the modern automobile should look and feel like if there is no human being involved in the transportation process. Google co-founder Sergey Brin said at the inaugural Code Conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, California: “The project is about changing the world for people who are not well-served by transportation today,” further adding, “There’s not great public transportation in many public places in the United States.”
Not only the car doesn’t have the three essentials i.e. steering, accelerator and brake pedal but also it shuns the mirrors, the backseat, stereo and the glove compartment. One must wonder how does the car work then? Well, there are lots of sensors and a revamp of the self-driving software system Google has built to use on the Toyota ‘Priuses’ and Lexus SUVs. Google’s self-driving cars have racked up 700,000 miles of testing. It’s completely driven by computers. Google car looks cute and cuddly from the outside so you can fall in love with it.
Google says the car has virtually no blind spots because of all the cameras. It will have space for two people, powertrain will be electric, and at the start it will be limited to 25mph (40km/h) to ensure safety. The car is built with special material as the front of the car is built with foam and the windshield is flexible. These measures have been taken to reduce injury the car might inflict if it collided with anything.
“We’re really excited about this vehicle – it’s something that will allow us to really push the capabilities of self driving technology, and understand the limitations,” said Chris Urmson, director of the company’s self-driving project.
