What would the world be like if cars could drive themselves? Imagine seeing an empty car passing by on its way to pick up its owner, or a car full of passengers who are reading, listening to music or even sleeping. But none of them are worried about the road ahead.
Well, all of this could be the future of driving. There are several companies, including Google, working on driverless cars. So far, no Google self-driven car has gotten a traffic ticket, but some of them have been in accidents when other cars hit them.
These cars are now still in the testing stages. But, if the tests are successful, these electric self-driven cars could be put into use very soon.
The cars already have many features (特点)allowing them to take the place of drivers during certain situations. Some features include cars being able to park themselves, or slow down when they notice objects close by. They can also control the speed if there are dangerous conditions.
Scientists and engineers believe, with the help of wireless (无线电的)signals, cameras and GPS, we are now at a stage where creating a safe self-driven car might be possible.
The cause of deadly road accidents is usually careless drivers or dangerous conditions. The self-driven car may be able to prevent these. However, some people do not like the idea. American lawyer Whit Drake, for example, doesn't believe these cars are safe. He thinks that technologies can also be mistakes.
a. e-reading b. wireless signals c. cameras d. GPS
