Close Shave For Self-Driving Cars

We are fast moving into an automated society. In fact, we have many things that have already been automated, including lights and music, and the possibility of having a self-driving car is an enticing one. After all, how many of us would love to sit back and relax the ride home – even in the midst of traffic, when it is not you at the wheel? Those with means would be able to summon on the services of a driver, but others who can afford a car – why not get a self-driving car instead? Google has already started testing out their self-driving cars on the streets of California, but it looks like it was involved in a close call with another driverless ride from Delphi Automotive.

The close shave happened in Palo Alto, California, where John Absmeier, director of Delphi’s Silicon Valley lab, happened to play the role of a passenger in his company’s self-driving Audi Q5, and it was moving along San Antonio Road before it was rudely interrupted by a Google-operated Lexus SUV.

Thankfully, both fully automated rides did not end up colliding with one another. Google has remained mum on the situation as at press time. Perhaps this just goes to prove that when equipped with similar technology, there was no collision? Or could the near accident have happened in spite of all the lasers, radar, cameras and computer systems involved? I suppose the day where the first accident involving two self-driving cars will be a historic one.

Edwin Kee
Categories: Transportation
Tags: Google, self driving car