We’ve all heard about Google’s self driving cars, but the company recently took one step closer to creating a mass consumer automotive that has no need for human control. Earlier this week Google unveiled its latest self driving car prototype and it ditches the parts that we’re all used to, like steering wheels, accelerator pedals, brake pedals and more. Why? Because Google thinks they’re no longer necessary.
“Our software sensors do all the work,” Google’s director of the self driving car project Chris Urmson said. “The vehicles will be basic – we want to learn from them and adapt them as quickly as possible – but they will take you where you want to go at the push of a button. And that’s an important step toward improving road safety and transforming mobility for millions of people.”
The company envisions self driving cars being useful for everyone from senior citizens to folks who have imbibed too much at the bar. The most recent prototypes cap out at 25mph, so you won’t see them flying down the highway anytime soon, though that might not be too far off.
The vehicles are outfitted with sensors that are capable of viewing up to about 200 yards in all directions, which Urmson said should be helpful in places like crowded intersections. The interiors are also super basic: there’s room for two passengers and there are two buttons, one to start the car and one to stop it, in addition to a single screen.
Google has big plans for the project. “We’re planning to build about a hundred prototype vehicles, and later this summer, our safety drivers will start testing early versions of these vehicles that have manual controls,” Urmson explained. Later, Google wants to launch a California pilot program, hopefully to get the public involved. This is a future we can get on board with.
Techaaka 
This is incredible to see how Google progressed within 1 year about their program “Google self-driving car project”. This is now not anymore, a concept with technical tests using a Toyota cars, as it was last year, with Prius or Lexus RX; this is not anymore a technical solution with engineers embedded in these cars, checking the issues of the software developed.
This concept allows Google to propose a completely automatized car without any steering wheel nor any pedals of acceleration or brake nor any engineer embedded in the car.
A new model of usage born
These cars will not be sold by Google; the cost of cars remains too expensive from now; some rumors speaks about a price of 1 million of dollars for the first Google cars, if we integrate manufacturing costs and R&D costs included; and the running costs of these cars is unknown for the moment; for sure, limited people could buy these cars if they would be allowed to buy them.
These cars will be firstly rented by Google to replace your car to go to supermarket, to go to airport or to go some meetings in your town. This model reinvent the usage of transports.
If you are interested, I have posted an article on this incredible & amazing Google Car 2.0 that you can read here: http://worldofinnovations.net/2014/06/15/connected-car-new-model-building-by-google/
Thankyou Olivierlehe for your valubale comments.
Its the fact that Google have been rapidly growing and succeeded in developing their Self-Driving project.It wan an amazing concept 2 years before and now its the reality!A big salute to Google 🙂