Self-driving car is tested by scientists in UK
Researchers test-run computer and laser system that is destined to take strain out of motoring
Scientists at Oxford University have developed a self-driving car that takes on tedious driving tasks such as negotiating traffic jams or navigating a regular commute.
The new system has been installed in a Nissan Leaf electric car and tested at up to 64km/h on private roads around the university. Researchers hope the cost of the system can be brought down to £100 (HK$1,200) and it can be fitted to existing models.
The car alerts the driver when it is ready to take control, and by pressing a button on a screen the driver can let the computer take the strain.
Search giant Google has been working on self-driving cars for years, and has now won approval for their use in the US states of Nevada and California.
The Oxford system has been demonstrated on public roads and as long as there is a licenced driver "there's no obvious legal barrier to using it on roads now", said Professor Paul Newman, who led the research. "It's essentially an advanced driver assistance system."
Martin Spring, who co-authored a paper on the potential of driverless cars, said: "As with many technologies, the early implementation will try to mimic what has gone before. But once you shake off the constraint of it having to look like a car, you can envisage a very different vehicle - it could look like a small room where people do what they want while the car is moving.