You’re both right to some degree. While Tesla
has manufactured self-driving cars that are readily available to the public, the first self-driving cars were on the road as early as 1939. In 1939, General Motors developed a magnetized and remote-controlled self-driving car for the 1939 World’s Fair. While this technology was in its infancy, it paved the way for future advancements in autonomous vehicles.
From 1940 to 2000, most self-driving cars were projects unavailable to the public. So technically speaking, these cars weren’t on the road. But since then, major automakers rolled out self-driving cars in a limited capacity with the unveiling of self-parking or park-assist features.
The very first fully autonomous vehicle was released in 2014 by Induct Technology. Known as the Navia, this self-driving vehicle was designed as a fully autonomous commercial car produced for guided tours.
Today, several companies offer semi-autonomous cars that anyone can purchase—like Tesla. Vehicles that are completely self-driving probably won’t hit the road until sometime between 2026 and 2030, though.
The legal and technological hurdles presented by fully autonomous cars remain a barrier to entry. However, many automakers are indeed working toward the next level of automation.
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