Google reveals its first self-driving car prototype (video)

The first prototype of its self-driving car has been revealed by Google as it plans to build 100 cars to extend testing over the next few years.

Google might not be the first company that springs to mind as a car maker, but Tesla has already proved that Silicon Valley can produce a car that buyers want and Google are intent on following a similar route.

But where Tesla’s USP is its long-range electric capabilities – and a desire to build cars for the market – Google’s goal is more technology orientated and is all about developing self-driving car technology that works in the real world.

For the last few years, Google has been experimenting with existing cars kitted out with self-driving gubbins, but now they’ve taken the next step and built their own self-driving prototype.

Looking like a cross between something from the Jetsons and a child’s drawing, the Google self-driving car prototype is as basic as they come.

Fitted with just two seats, a bit of room for ‘stuff’ and no steering wheel or pedals, Google plan to build a 100 or so in the coming years to extend their self-driving experiment in California.

The first production prototypes will come with manual controls too (legislation won’t have it any other way – there has to be a way to manually intervene) as Google aims to take away the need to be anything other than a passenger in a car, in a vision of an  Orwellian future where personal responsibility is taken on by technology.

The future is coming.