Volvo's self-drive 'convoy' hits the Spanish motorway

[marmar]

(BBC) A convoy of self-driven cars has completed a 200km (125-mile) journey on a Spanish motorway, in the first public test of such vehicles.

The cars were wirelessly linked to each other and "mimicked" a lead vehicle, driven by a professional driver.

The so-called road train has been developed by Volvo. The firm is confident that they will be widely available in future.

The project aims to herald a new age of relaxed driving. ...................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18248841

[leveymg]

1. Oh great. Lines of cars following a Winebago you can't pass, even if your life depends upon it.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. Only relaxing for inept drivers.

Take the train.

[Egalitarian Thug]

2. I saw somebody (I think it was GM judging by the shape of the cars) doing this out

in AZ a few years ago. Four identical cars zipping down the freeway @ 60 mph, bumper to bumper, is quite a sight. It's too bad that the pic in the article doesn't convey that.
K&R

[Gidney N Cloyd]

3. And if just one of the kids in one of the cars has to go potty, does EVERYone pull into Stucky's?

[drm604]

4. That's actually a very good point.

Do the passengers in the individual cars have any control? If they do, it's a recipe for chaos.

[Fumesucker]

5. An earlier article on the same system says cars can join or leave a group..

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-12215915