GOOGLE GETS LICENSE FOR DRIVERLESS CAR

For some time, Google has been experimenting with driverless Toyota Prius cars in the US,and it appears that the experiment has been a fruitful one.
There are reports that driverless cars will soon be a reality on the roads of Nevada following the United states’ approval of America’s first self-driven vehicle licence.The first to hit the highway will be a Toyota Prius modified by search firm Google, which is leading the way in driverless car technology.
The car uses video cameras mounted on the roof, radar sensors and a laser range finder to “see” other traffic.
Engineers at Google have previously tested the car on the streets of California, including crossing San Francisco’s Golden Gate bridge.
For those tests, the car remained manned at all times by a trained driver ready to take control if the software failed.
According to software engineer Sebastian Thrun, the car has covered 140,000 miles with no accidents, other than a bump at traffic lights from a car behind.
Nevada changed its laws to allow self-driven cars in March. The long-term plan is to license members of the public to drive such cars.
Google’s car has been issued with a red licence plate to make it recognisable. The plate features an infinity sign next to the number 001.
Other states, including California, are planning similar changes.