The Future of Driving Is Now a Gold Rush

2017 will show us that limited deployments are technically, legally, and socially possible, even under today’s laws

The prices of these cars’ most important sensors are plummeting. Laser-ranging lidar units — the things that build up a 3D image of the car’s surroundings — used to cost multiples of the cars on which they were mounted. Now they are priced in the thousands or even hundreds of dollars. Radars, which help pinpoint other road users, are also getting smaller and cheaper, and today’s high-definition video cameras are so cheap they are almost free.

The first self-driving car experiments are over, and the results are clear. The technology is feasible, becoming increasing affordable, and has a multi-billion dollar potential market. But in 2017 the tough work of scaling and commercializing begins. Concerns remain about the safety and reliability of the autonomous vehicles, especially in their interactions with their human operators and other road users.