A CAR THAT'S ON ITS OWN

　　Pulling out onto the streets of Berlin - this car can drive itself. With special permission from traffic authorities, the car, the brainchild of the Berlin Free University made its debut public voyage, joining the more conventional vehicles on Berlin's city streets.

　　The presence of Tinosch Ganjineh, a specially trained safety officer at the wheel, just in case, was the only condition. He hands over control to the computer and the car does the rest. The system relies on a series of sensors, scanners and cameras that make up an electronic image of the road ahead that the car's computer can assess as it drives, controlling direction and speed.

　　 Tinosch Ganjineh, road safety car tester and driver said, "If one of the systems malfunctions, one of the sensors, for example, then I can step in and take back the controls." The car's been under development for four years - and tested on a disused airfield. Now, Paul Rojas, professor of artificial intelligence at the university, says it's taken a developmental step forward, offering new, green modes of transport - as either an autonomous taxi or the ultimate car-sharing vehicle.

　　Paul Rojas, The Free University, Berlin said, "Car-sharing is still a bit inconvenient for some people because they have to go to the station or the car park to pick up the car. This necessity of having to go and pick up the car falls away because the car can now pick me up." It is not that long ago that the idea of a car that reversed into a parking space on its own was science fiction - it seems that going forward isn't too far off now either.

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