13. Autonomous Vehicles Reach Public Roads
Advancements in AI and robotics have enabled self-driving cars to operate on public roads. In 2017, Waymo, formerly Google’s self-driving car project, conducted the world’s first fully autonomous ride on public roads without a steering wheel or pedals. In 2025, Tesla launched its robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, operating with human safety monitors. These developments demonstrate the promise and challenges of autonomous driving (forbes.com).
