The project is still in the ongoing stage and Google has built prototypes in partnership with automotive suppliers and manufacturers. “Google aims to build up to 200 such cars in the near term and hopes the vehicles will be available in various cities within a couple of years”, Firstpost quoted the Google co-founder Sergey Brin. Google has been keen to make waves in the automotive industry since 2009. They have been testing several concepts of self-driving cars including laser sensors and radars. Interestingly, the self-driving cars could be used to pick up passenger and has the potential to operate as fleets of interconnected “trains”. “Ten seconds after getting in I was doing my email, I had forgotten I was there,” Brin gushed about his experience of riding the vehicle, adding, “It ultimately reminded me of catching a chairlift.” The prototypes being build by Google are redolent of a Smart car and Volkswagen Beetle. Moreover, the driverless car is limited to have speed of 25 miles (40 km) per hour, but can go up to 100 miles in future. “Within a couple of years I hope we will surpass the safety metrics we’ve put in place, which is to be significantly safer than a human driver, and we will start testing them without drivers and hopefully you’ll be able to utilize them at some limited cities, “ Brian further said about the possibility of putting the car in practical use.
