Self-driving cars have been on the roadways for some time now – in the testing stages. Google, Nissan and other companies are working hard to perfect the technology that allows cars to drive themselves.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently held a conference to discuss the ins and outs of introducing autonomous vehicles to the consumer market with Google and automakers, according to The Associated Press.<\/p>\n
"Automated vehicles offer an important and challenging method for reducing crash risk that we believe holds great promise," David Strickland, head of the NHTSA, told the AP. "We have the chance of … saving thousands and thousands of lives as the vehicle fleet (cars in use today) turns over."<\/p>\n
Strickland pointed out that, of the 33,000 traffic deaths in 2010, human error was responsible for roughly 90 percent of the collisions. Cars that can drive themselves may be able to greatly reduce this risk, as Google has only had one reported accident, which occurred when one of the cars was being driven by a human.<\/p>\n
As of right now, Google is at the forefront of the driverless car race, and vehicles equipped with the company's technology are being tested on the streets of California, Nevada and Florida. Many automakers are also making efforts to create driverless technology, and the NHTSA will need to develop new methods of testing these automobiles for safety, Bloomberg Businessweek reports. This could take a significant amount of time, which means drivers should not expect to see autonomous vehicles for sale any time soon.<\/p>\n