Google starts testing self-driving cars in Austin, Texas

Google’s spent the entirety of the self-driving car project’s testing time in the familiar streets of Santa Clara, California, but now they’re so far along that they’re ready to start moving into other areas. The company has confirmed that the first test vehicle — a Lexus SUV, if you care — has touched down in Austin, Texas.

As usual, Google’s self-driving vehicle tests will go on with someone behind the wheel to take over manual controls when or if they need to. The challenge for Google will be to adapt to a vastly different driving environment and the traffic patterns of that specific city, but we’re sure it’s nothing they can’t handle.

By the end of it all, Google’s 3D object mapping technology should be able to gather enough information on the streets of Austin that it might eventually become the safest driver out there (especially because all of the 11 or so accidents they’ve been involved in so far weren’t their fault). Fingers crossed that things go smoothly!

[via Google+]