self-driving cars

For The Long Haul, Self-Driving Trucks May Pave The Way Before Cars

6:58pm October 13, 2016

by Uri Berliner

Despite being self-driving, big rigs will still need truckers to ride along and take control of in case of emergency situations. But some say they may be the last generation to do their jobs.

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National

Regulating Self-Driving Cars For Safety Even Before They're Built

7:41pm September 20, 2016

by NPR Staff

By outlining how manufacturers can ensure the safe design of driverless vehicles, the U.S. is taking a different approach than it has for conventional cars, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx says.

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National

Feds To Set Rules On Self-Driving Vehicles

8:29pm September 19, 2016

by Richard Gonzales

Transportation officials say they will unveil a sweeping plan to make sure the federal government is involved in ensuring the safety of self-driving vehicles.

A self-driving car leaves Uber's newest riverside hub in Pittsburgh. Company officials say the Rust Belt city is perfect for beta testing, citing diverse topography, frequent weather maladies, near-constant construction and hundreds of bridges and tunnels

National

What It's Like To Ride In A (Nearly) Self-Driving Uber

9:21am September 14, 2016

by Liz Reid

Uber is deploying a fleet of self-driving cars Wednesday in Pittsburgh. Employees will be in the front seats, but they will try to let technology do the driving. We went for a ride.

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National

What Tesla And Google's Approaches Tell Us About Autonomous Driving

3:42pm July 01, 2016

by Alina Selyukh

Virtually all major car and tech companies are pursuing self-driving technology as the future of transportation. But Tesla and Google are the earliest innovators, taking very different approaches.

Olli is an autonomous electric shuttle bus by Local Motors that is test-running at National Harbor, south of Washington, D.C.

A 24-Year-Old Designed A Self-Driving Minibus; Maker Built It In Weeks

2:45pm June 29, 2016

by Alina Selyukh

What if cars weren't mass produced? Local Motors, a small-batch auto manufacturer, relies on an online design community and a "co-creation" business model to bring new vehicles to market, really fast.

A member of the media tests a Tesla Motors Model S car with an Autopilot system. Regulators and manufacturers are debating whether self-driving cars should have a licensed driver inside as a safety precaution.

National

Should Self-Driving Cars Have Drivers Ready To Take Over?

10:32am February 24, 2016

by NPR Staff

California's Department of Motor Vehicles proposed that self-driving cars should have a licensed driver inside. It may disrupt the dream of driverless cars, but it's also seen as a step for safety.

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Google was told by the National Highway Traffic Administration earlier this month that the self-driving car system can be considered as a driver.

National

What's Next For Self-Driving Cars?

6:50pm February 22, 2016

by NPR Staff

Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx says standards must be developed, such as determining whether licensed drivers will be required. But he says potential safety benefits will be a big advantage.

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This Hyundai MOBIS "i-Cockpit Car" simulator let people experience autonomous driving mode at the 2016 technology show CES in Las Vegas.

Self-Driving Cars Are Coming, But Are We Ready For Them?

3:38pm January 12, 2016

by NPR Staff

Automakers and tech companies are racing to develop them. But is the public ready to give up control of their cars? The University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute has been evaluating.

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Google's self-driving prototype car can be found cruising the streets near the Internet company's Silicon Valley headquarters to test programming responses to a variety of situations.

National

Google's Traffic Stop: A Crash Course In Self-Driving Concerns

3:36pm November 13, 2015

by Kylie Mohr

California police pulling over Google's self-driving car is just the latest buzz surrounding autonomous vehicles. How will these cars respond to the variables found in a daily commute?