Top 10 Most Important Cars of All Time

Google's Driverless Car

Like it or not, autonomous cars are the future. Self-guided vehicles may seem like a pie-in-the-sky idea right now but they’re in the fast lane and will arrive before you know it.

Many automakers already offer different technologies that are stepping stones on the path to full autonomy. Things like adaptive cruise control and automatic braking are a glimpse of the future.

Self-driving cars promise to save time by preventing crashes and subsequent traffic backups; they can also reduce fuel consumption by following the most efficient route to a destination. Another feather in their computerized cap is that they can give seniors and the disabled more independence.

The idea shows lots of promise. Working outside of its wheelhouse, technology giant Google is surprisingly at the forefront of this vehicular revolution.

The Silicon Valley-based outfit has been developing its own driverless car for a few years now. Its team outfitted a Toyota Prius with a battery of video cameras, radar equipment and other sensors to great effect. So far they’ve racked up hundreds of thousands of autonomous miles with no crashes.

While their impact has not been felt yet, autonomous vehicles will be a game changer in the 21st century.