Google will send self-designed self-driving car on the road this summer

Google will send its self-designed self-driving car onto public roads for the first time this summer. Until now, it only ran on public roads with modified models from manufacturer Lexus. The speed of the cars is limited and there will also be a driver on board.

The self-driving car will not drive faster than around 40 kilometers per hour, with which it will probably only drive within built-up areas and on secondary roads. The test is mainly intended to see how the car reacts to various situations and how people react to the self-driving car.

Google’s own car is a small model with round shapes. It has two seats, buttons for start and stop, a screen to show the route and a space to carry luggage. In addition, the car is equipped with the same software as the modified Lexus models.

A human driver is present in the car during the test, as well as a removable steering wheel and pedals for accelerating or braking.

The test will begin this summer and will take place near the California city of Mountain View, where Google is headquartered. It is not yet known whether, how and when Google plans to sell the car as a production model.