Google Sends Self-Driving Lexus Hybrids to Test in Texas
Google’s autonomous cars have made it to the Lone Star state for testing, The Detroit News is reporting.
A self-driving Lexus 450h prototype was recently dispatched to Austin, Texas for testing on that city’s streets. The cars are used to map roadways and signs for future autonomous vehicles to use. Google said the car has begun to drive itself after testing in Texas it will be sending another Lexus to Austin soon.
The search-engine giant likely selected the Texas capital because a free-range Lexus fit in very well with that city’s culture.
“We also want to learn how different communities perceive and interact with self-driving vehicles, and that can vary in different parts of the country,” an official with Google told The Detroit News.
Local officials praised the move by Google.
“Austin is special in part because we welcome new technologies that could help improve our daily lives, and we can easily see the potential self-driving cars have to reduce accident rates and congestion, and to provide mobility for people who can’t get around easily,” Mayor Steve Adler told The Detroit News.
Self-driving cars are forbidden to travel faster than 25 mph by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Google started testing its autonomous prototypes in California last month.
More by Aaron Cole
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The last runaway Lexus didn't fare very well.
It's the Lexus that flexes from Long Beach to Texas all by itself.
Does Google actually use that cute little puppy car *anywhere*? Like northshorerealtr said, all I see are references to standard production Lexus, Audi and Toyota. Showing photos of those might engender a little more respect for this project.
So, I work in Silicon Valley - see all of these things all over the place all the time. Couple observations: - They don't know quite how to handle 4-way stops. Got stuck behind one that let every other car at the intersection go before it proceeded to make its way through. - Don't seem to understand lane discipline on the interstate. Cruising in lane 2 (4 lanes wide in that direction) below the speed limit with cars weaving around on both sides to pass. I also had one of those "where the hell am I?" moments, driving behind one autonomous RX450h in a neighborhood and was passed in the opposite direction by another autonomous RX450h.