"San Francisco is filled with ghostly driverless vehicles" is an outcome of the extensive efforts made by scientists and researchers since the 60s to build autonomous vehicles. Initially aimed at military use, the realization that this technology could benefit civilians as well led to the development of autonomous cars. The goal was to create vehicles that could operate without human drivers, thus offering enhanced safety. By 2005, advancements in technology allowed DARPA, the research arm of the Defense Department, to organize a contest towards achieving this goal.
After a closely watched vote, driverless cars, once a Silicon Valley fantasy, have become a 24-hour-a-day reality in San Francisco. Are autonomous vehicles an interesting and safe transportation alternative? Or are they a nuisance and a traffic-blocking disaster waiting to happen?
Cade Metz, who covers technology for The Times, describes the unique challenges of coexisting with cars that drive themselves.
Guest: Cade Metz, a technology correspondent for The New York Times.
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