什么样的汽车不需要司机就可以在道路上驰骋？随着不断发展革新的技术，目前已有越来越多的公司决定接受研发无人驾驶汽车的挑战。驾驶员这一角色在未来会成为过去式吗？
As the relentless1 pace of technology continues to advance, companies must adapt or get left behind. One of the key areas of contention2 these days is the driverless car. Autonomous3 cars have long been featured in science fiction movies and books, but in recent years they have moved from a pipe dream to a reality.
The development of the autonomous car actually started in the 1920s, but it wasn't until the 1980s that the first prototypes were successfully created, one of which was designed by Mercedes-Benz.
Since then the technology has gone from strength to strength and these days many companies are jumping on the bandwagon. Uber is the latest to announce its plan to unroll a fleet of driverless cars. It follows Apple and Ford4, who have announced similar plans, and Google and Tesla, who already have autonomous cars on the road.
Two questions arise: Do we really need them? And are they really safe? Advocates of driverless cars would argue 'yes' to both. Vehicular autonomy, if perfected, could lead to much safer road conditions for all, lower insurance costs and enhance mobility5 for the elderly, the sick and those with disabilities. They would also allow roads to increase their capacity between 200 – 400%.
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