What will the world be like if cars can 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. The passengers in the car needn't worry about the road ahead.
Well, all of this could be the future of driving. There are several companies, including Google, Tesla, Mercedes-Bens, Audi, BMW, Volvo and Toyota, working on driverless cars. They are now in the testing stages (阶段). If the tests are successful, these self-driving cars could be available very soon. But how is it possible for a car to drive itself?
Modern cars are able to take the place of drivers during certain situations. For example, they can park themselves or slow down when they detect (发现) objects nearby. They can also control the speed if there are dangerous condi-tions, such as snowy roads. Scientists and engineers believe that, with the help of wireless signals (无线),cameras and GPS, creating a safe self-driving car might be possible in ten to twenty years.
Self-driving cars may help cut down the number of serious accidents caused by careless drivers or dangerous condi-tions. However, there are still some people who do not like the idea. American lawyer, White Drake, for example, doesn't believe these cars are safe. He thinks the possibility of the technology making a mistake will be too high.
