Getting to and from your job, the store or grandma s house ought to get a lot easier in a couple of decades, according to a new report.
The study by Navigant Research predicts that 75 percent of vehicles sold worldwide by then will have some sort of self-driving feature.
Many vehicles already are able to park themselves and brake if they sense danger ahead. And while the development of fully autonomous cars may be hindered by legal or regulatory hurdles, the report predicts that 94.7 million vehicles with some self-driving capabilities will be sold globally by 2035.
The full report costs $4,400. But Navigant offered a brief summary of its findings in a press release.
Among the most attractive markets for autonomous vehicles in the coming years, it noted, will be point-to-point long-distance delivery trucks, which travel over motorways and freeways. Much like airline pilots, truck drivers could drive the vehicle through local roads to the highway, and the auto-pilot could then take control for the long-distance part of the journey, while the driver rests or conducts other business activities.
Illustration: Google s proposed self-driving car
