How Much Can Google’s Self-Driving Car See?

It may well be time for chauffeurs around the world to come up with a backup plan. With every new insight, it seems that Google's self-driving car could have the potential to put them out of business.

The above photo illustrates exactly what the Knight Rider-esque invention can see. As deducible from the orange concentric circles, it's capable of 360 degree vision, which is kind of like having someone with four heads in the driver's seat. Moreover, according to Bill Gross, who first Tweeted the image in late April, the car processes a whole gigabyte of information every second.

So far, Google's prototypes have successfully covered 400,000 miles of road. Even though it has long been thought that self-driving vehicles wouldn't go public for another twenty years, it's now looking as though they'll be widely available within five. The law has yet to catch up, however - driverless cars are illegal in every state in the U.S., with the exception of Nevada, California and Florida. Of course, the enforcement of road rules becomes a tricky issue when there's no one behind the wheel.

According to Google, the future promises less traffic and fuel consumption, as well as increased mobility and safety. Those incapable of driving can start looking forward to some new-found freedom.

[VIA boing boing]