Researchers from Oxford University are developing an affordable self-driving car for the masses, which uses lasers and small cameras to memorise regular journeys.
The Oxford RobotCar UK is much simpler in operation than other self-drive cars, such as the Google car which has recently undergone testing in California.
At the moment the system costs around £5,000, but the team behind the car is hoping to produce a low-cost self-drive system within the next ten years, and believes that the price of the technology could be brought down to around £100.
The system uses lasers and a roof-mounted camera to produce a 3D image of the route. Sensors mounted to the car can also detect obstacles such as pedestrians.
Professor Paul Newman, from Oxford University's department of engineering science, described the system in more detail:
"Our approach is made possible because of advances in 3D laser mapping that enable an affordable car-based robotic system to rapidly build up a detailed picture of its surroundings.
"Because our cities don't change very quickly, robotic vehicles will know and look out for familiar structures as they pass by so that they can ask a human driver 'I know this route, do you want me to drive?'
"It's not depending on GPS, digging up the roads or anything like that -- it's just the vehicles knowing where they are because they recognise their surroundings."
The system is controlled by the driver via a dashboard-mounted iPad.
One of the major obstacles in developing self-drive cars is legislation. Recent law changes in California have allowed Google to develop its self-drive car on public roads, and the team behind the RobotCar is currently working with the Department for Transport to allow the car on UK roads.
Professor Newman is positive about the technology. He said "I would be astounded if we don't see this kind of technology in cars within 15 years."
Click on the image below to see footage of the car undergoing testing.
