driverless car

Slowly but surely, the automated future that industrialization and science fiction have long promised is creeping up on us. And if reality is to be believed, automation might actually run us over (or shoot us) if we're not looking.

The BBC reports that an English town called Daventry is testing out a driverless car, controlled by a computer that -- drumroll please -- uses lasers to avoid obstacles. Essentially, they're just robotic cabs -- the cars are called by pressing a button along the route, and go directly to their destination.

The testing is part of Daventry's investigation into new ways to increase the use of public transport and reduce reliance on cars.

Running until October 5th, the demonstration is actually in effect for commuters looking to get from A to B within the town. The Cybercars are designed for short trips at low speed in an urban environment, and need only a very light track to operate -- think of them as a cross between a car, a trolley, and a golf cart.

As weird as it sounds, it's this sort of forward thinking that is going to bring us out of our current automotive stone age, since it could potentially reduce the amount of vehicles on the road (not to mention serve as a designated driver when party goers have had too much to drink). Daventry District Council leader Chris Millar said all: "We can build lots more car parks and have lots more cars going in or we can look at a viable alternative to the car. We believe this could be the answer."

Let's just hope the residents of Daventry are stocking up on laser-proof vests, lest one of these babies accidentally shoots a pedestrian/obstacle.

From the BBC