Google's self-driving cars make debut in Austin, Texas

Google is known to be an innovative and technology-advanced company that is why when they have announced that their self-driving car will be tested in Austin, Texas, everyone is extremely excited as to what the cars will be like.

This will be the first time Google will be testing its no-driver car outside of its home turf in California, Dallas News writes. In preparation, the company has been testing the Lexus RX45oh SUV in the state to check its suitability to their first, fully self-driving car. These pod-like cars will be arriving next week and will start cruising on the roads a few weeks later.

Austin has been the road test location of most self-driving cars but most of them have a driver to monitor and check on the vehicles. Google will be the first company to attempt a "no driver in the car" self-driving vehicle. Jennifer Haroon, head of Google's business operations, has stated that the car has been developed to handle animals jumping out of nowhere. It is equipped with a sensor that can create a security bubble around the vehicle, allowing it to be extra cautious and sensitive of its surroundings.

Austin Mayor Steve Adler said that the self-driving cars will fit perfectly well with the city's technological environment, and welcomes test drivers in their city, Daily Texan Online reports. Mayor Adler added that it's impossible not to participate in something that may benefit and design the future of transportation.

The director of the project, Chris Urmson, said that Google is grateful for the opportunity because it will be beneficial not only to the people of Austin but hopefully to the whole world. He added that almost 33,000 people get killed on the road yearly and with the safety measures, sensors and softer windshields of the self-driving cars, pedestrians may be cushioned and protected from accidents or collisions.

However, it looks like even before testing begins, the Google self-driving car may have already met its match, TIME Magazine writes. Based on the account of one cyclist in Austin, the car has detected his presence at a four-way intersection that is why it stayed stationary, confused as to whether it will proceed or not. The cyclist shared that the two guys inside, who are monitoring the vehicle, can't help but laugh and have been probably noting on their laptops what the car should do in situations like this.

Maybe this is the reason why Google has wanted to test its self-driving cars in Austin, to check how it will interact with "unteachable" scenarios. Well, Daily Texan Online adds that any community may provide a feedback about Google's self-driving cars in order to make the vehicle better for human use.