A self-driving car, also known as an autonomous vehicle (AV or auto), driverless car, or robo-car is a vehicle that is capable of sensing its environment and moving safely with little or no human input.

Self-driving cars combine a variety of sensors to perceive their surroundings, such as radar, lidar, sonar, GPS, odometry and inertial measurement units. Advanced control systems interpret sensory information to identify appropriate navigation paths, as well as obstacles and relevant signage.

Possible implementations of the technology include personal self-driving vehicles, shared robotaxis, connected vehicle platoons, and long-distance trucking.  Several projects to develop a fully self-driving commercial car are in various stages of development. Waymo became the first service provider to offer robotaxi rides to the general public in Phoenix, Arizona in 2020, while Tesla has said it will offer subscription-based “full self-driving” to private vehicle owners in 2021. Furthermore, the autonomous delivery company Nuro has been allowed to start commercial operations in California starting in 2021.

by: Wikipedia.