Company Google in May submitted a draft self-propelled vehicle without a steering wheel and pedals. Then, the vehicle is shown possible to understand in what direction the company is looking, and in December, was presented the first working prototype. Now, Google has announced that the first models leave the training site and will be used on public roads starting from this summer.
Google promising project will begin its march close to home – the cars will move until the streets of Mountain View to the company’s headquarters has been as close to these vehicles. The system has already dashed off “75 years of driving experience of the average American,” and now the company is ready to enter the “field” tests.
As Google noted that they, first of all, stand up for safety on the road, so the maximum speed of their vehicles will be limited to 40 km / h. In addition, the company also work on more complex projects, as evidenced by uneven patent Google, designed to protect pedestrians in the event of a collision with motor vehicles. Test vehicles will be equipped with a removable handlebars, pedals, and during movement in them must be present drivers.
As you know, Google for several years actively engaged in testing of vehicles, which do not need a driver. At the same time she used the serial models of machines, retooling them to fit your needs. Previously, Google co-founder Sergey Brin announced an effort to create a self-propelled vehicle 100 prototypes (to start).
The company is clearly trying to manage to go to the market for self-propelled one of the first systems. The main competitor is still the company Tesla Motors, which continues to develop high-tech vehicles and preparing the software update that activates autopilot in its electric cars. Elon Musk stated that such a possibility will be available in June.
Despite the high rate of work on autonomous vehicles, previously founder of Tesla said that the mass solutions will not earlier than in 2020. The same timeline called other automakers working on similar technologies, such as Nissan, General Motors and Cruise.