Google announced that it is test-driving its self-driving cars in Austin, Texas with one of its Lexus SUVs.
There are safety drivers aboard, driving a few square miles north and northeast of downtown Austin.
Google stated that it’s important for them to get experience testing software in different driving environments, traffic patterns and road conditions.
On the Google+ page, they state “We’re ready to take on Austin’s pedicabs, pickup trucks, and everything in between. Keep it weird for us, Austin, and visit our website to let us know how we’re driving.”
Austin is the first city outside of Mountain View where Google has deployed it self-driving cars because “We’ve loved how much Austin embraces innovation,” a Google spokesperson told the Austin American-Statesmen. Google Fiber is also being deployed in the city and there are several company offices making the testing a “natural fit” for Google and Austin.
Google received permission from Texas Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Department of Transportation, police and other authorities before starting testing about a month ago.
Google expanded its self-driving car fleet in California, while the California Department of Motor Vehicles is providing more information about self-driving car collisions in California. Then two self-driving cars, one Google car and one Delphi car almost plowed into each other in Mountain View, California.
Google then admitted to total of eleven self-driving accidents.
Some say they think the for the prototypes look like marshmallows.Google is running a contest to decorate the cars by artists to make them look more appealing. We have heard that some suggest that the cars need a bra. Previously, Google tested them private roads.
A Boston Consulting Group study found that for those who wouldn’t buy an an autonomous vehicle, the biggest considerations appear to be reliability, cyber security, and uncertainty about AV interactions with other vehicles on the road.
Men and younger people prefer self-driving cars, while women and most people are skeptical.
Daimler, Tesla, Audi and Delphi appear to winning self-driving connected car race in the second quarter of this year.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx at announced support for speeding up the process for new connected car technology and autonomous self-driving cars.