Self-driving Tesla could hit roads within three years

Electric car manufacturer Tesla has said that self-driving cars could be a reality within the next three years, with the firm targeting a computer-guided version of its Model S saloon.

Tesla chief executive officer Elon Musk said in an interview with the Financial Times that the autonomous driving technology would act like “an autopilot” that could be switched on and off like an aeroplane’s guidance system.

On Bing: see pictures of autonomous cars

Find out how much a used Tesla costs on Auto Trader

However, while Musk claimed that 90% of distances driven today would be able to be completed autonomously in three years’ time, he also admitted that fully self-driving vehicles may be a “bridge too far” in the near future.

It is expected that Tesla will debut its autonomous technology on the Model S luxury saloon, which will rival the likes of the BMW 5 Series.

While current predictions say widespread use of self-driving cars is some time off yet, we’re already seeing elements of it in modern vehicles. Many cars, for example, can steer themselves into a space with the driver following instructions and operating just the pedals, with some featuring radar-aided cruise control systems.

Many manufacturers are currently developing autonomous technology for their cars of the future.

Volvo is working hard to make its vehicles the safest in the world – and it thinks that removing the human element (i.e. the driver) would be a big step towards no one ever being killed or serious injured in a Volvo – while BMW is experimenting with cars that can drift without the help of human intervention.

On Bing: see pictures of autonomous cars

Find out how much a used Tesla costs on Auto Trader

Bosch autonomous car review (2013) – MSN tests driverless car

Driverless cars on UK pavements by 2015

Google driveless cars ‘safer than humans’

By motoringresearch.com