Family cars 'could drive themselves'
Cars 'could drive themselves'.
Family cars that drive themselves could be seen on the roads within ten years, it has been claimed.
A new EU project called SARTRE is being launched to find out whether real-life versions of Kitt from Knightrider could be produced.
The technology, which is thought to have huge potential, would allow vehicles to drive themselves in long road-trains on motorways.
If it becomes reality, the new way of driving could improve traffic flow, reduce accidents, enable better fuel efficiency and allow drivers to escape the monotony of miles on the motorways.
The first test cars could take to the tracks as early as 2011, equipped with a navigation system and a communication system to allow it to talk to other vehicles in the convoy.
Cars that require no driver have long been a feature of fiction films, with vehicles such as Herbie and Kitt capturing the hearts and imaginations of many.