1. In 1956, the Central Power and Electric Company foresaw the future of automobiles as being driver-less
It might appear that self-driving cars are a modern consideration, brought about by the immense advances in information technology and artificial intelligence in the 21st century, but in actuality the concept goes much further back in the popular imagination. In 1956, the Central Power and Electric Company predicted that in the future, human drivers would become obsolete and that, instead, “electricity may be the driver”. Predicting that ‘one day your car may speed along an electric super-highway”, the automobiles “speed and steering” would be “controlled by electronic devices embedded in the road”. As a result of these technological improvements “highways will be made safe”, eliminating “traffic jams”, “collisions”, and the risks caused by “driver fatigue”.
The prediction has proved surprisingly accurate for a concept considered so outlandish at the time, with self-driving cars derided by many as pure science-fiction and regarded even today by some, incorrectly, as dangerous oddities. Although incorrect in the assumptions concerning the method of achieving self-driving cars, with artificial intelligence, global positioning, and cameras the current optimal means rather than embedded infrastructure, nevertheless, self-driving cars are almost ready to be commercially available. Road tests conducted over the last few years have successfully ironed out the creases and before 2030 autonomous cars will drive freely across the roads of Europe and North America, greatly reducing vehicular accidents and improving road safety.
Where do we find this stuff? Here are our sources:
“Searching for the World’s First Sports Bar”, Emily Bell, Vinepair (July 28, 2016)
“Could Humans Walk on Water”, Lindsey Konkel, LiveScience (June 29, 2010)
“A Brief History of the Jetpack”, Amanda Green, Popular Mechanics (August 5, 2013)
“Trade your Trouble for a Bubble”, Matt Novak, Smithsonian Magazine (January 13, 2012)
“A Brief History of Air Conditioning”, Amanda Green, Popular Mechanics (January 1, 2015)
“Reinventing the Wheel”, John Heilemann, Time Magazine (December 2, 2011)
“Self-drive cars and you: A longer history than you think”, VeloceToday (August 5, 2014)
“Google Car: Not the First Self-Driving Vehicle”, Chloe Albanesius, PC Magazine (October 11, 2010)