Is Google about to change the future of buying used cars? The answer to that question may very well be yes. Google engineers are making incredible strides with self-driving cars. Within the past few weeks or so, the self-driving cars have successfully navigated California’s congested city streets — and the internet giant even invited several press teams to ride in them.
What Is It Like In One of Google’s Self-Driving Cars? Are They Safe?
“There’s a laser-shooting gizmo on top of the car and plenty of electronics in the trunk, but in the passenger cabin, there’s less evidence than you might think that you’re in a most unusual vehicle,” Time magazine reports. A Time magazine journalist described the vehicles’ movements as a combination of mechanical and/or mathematical and “eerily human.”
The self-driving cars, CNN continues, can ably “recognize situations like pedestrian traffic, buses, stop signs held by crossing guards and hand signals made by cyclists.” Moreover, although the self-driving vehicles have logged more than 700,000 miles, they have not — as of it stands — caused an accident. Only two of the cars have been involved in any collisions. One of the accidents was the fault of the other drive, and one of the accidents happened when a human driver took over one of the automated vehicles.
When Will Everyday Consumers Be Able to Buy Them?
Current projections range from 2017 to 2025. There are, however, a lot of questions. The cars are designed to safely navigate the streets with human-operated vehicles. Will automated cars slowly become the norm? In several years, will buying used cars or rental cars for sale also entail buying a self-driving car? Will affordable used cars or good used cars be automated? Will larger, service vehicles be manned by computers?
Google’s self-driving cars are becoming increasingly safe and marketable. Will this impact consumers looking to buy used cars? Will most vehicles be automated? Some questions remain unanswered. More.
