Overview
Driverless vehicles have been predicted, promised, and desired for decades. Finally, technologies necessary to realize these devices have become available. The question is no longer if, but when, driverless vehicles will become available to the public. When they do, driverless vehicles will transform ground transportation in the United States and around the world. Capable of operating without human control over their operation, driverless vehicles are anticipated to have numerous advantages in terms of safety, convenience, mobility, and environmental protection, relative to their conventional counterparts. By freeing up what would otherwise be a driver for other tasks, driverless vehicles may increase the productivity of their users. The enhanced awareness and reaction capabilities of these vehicles eventually should result in thousands of saved lives and avoided vehicle crashes. Intelligently coordinating the movements of driverless vehicles should eliminate or at least mitigate traffic congestion, air pollution, and human frustrations incident to everyday driving.