Google started testing self driving cars in Austin, Texas. In a Google+post the company announced to chose Austin as their next destination for testing driver less car beyond the public streets of California.
One of the company’s Lexus SUVs is already driving around a few square miles north and northeast of downtown Austin – with a safety driver behind the wheel for good measure. Since the launch of project in 2009 the search engine giant has tested self driving car mainly in Mountain View, California. Till now 23 Lexus RX450h SUVs has crossed around 1,057,962 miles in self driving mode and currently these cars are covering 10,000 autonomous miles per week on public streets.
About selecting Austin for the project Google further explained that it will help them to understand functionality of software in different driving environments, traffic patterns and road conditions. This also help the company to learn how people in different parts of the country perceive and interact with self-driving vehicles.
The company plans to launch self-driving cars for public by 2020.a
