Robot cars are in development around the western world. The headlines have appeared weekly for a year or more. The mystery is, why? I have never heard a single person in my life say "If only my car could drive itself." Nobody wants them. But, they wouldn't be in development everywhere if a truckload of profit wasn't expected. Do these corporations know something they aren't telling?

Now test car in the US from NY to LA or NY to Miami & from say Paris to Berlin or Moscow? Use on TV show Top Gear. Compete with Benz & Audi, Google Lexus models in the US. Test in So CA area.

EddieG a lot of people want them, hear people say all the time they can't wait for self-driving cars.

Autonomous cars are a terrible idea. Not only are the software and sensors not nearly up to real world conditions like rain, snow, dust, wind blown debris, construction zones, bad driver avoidance, etc., but will bankrupt makers whenever there is an accident. It will make cars cost too much, end drivers spending more on engines or performance, be used by criminals to commit crimes like bomb delivery or murder, etc. There are literally hundreds of reasons why this should never even be attempted.

@EddieG speak for yourself pal, I for one would love one of these cars. Imagine having to travel five hours and not have to worry about what's going on out there, but instead being able to read or watch a movie or any number of things that we'd rather do. The only one's who will have any trouble with this new technology will be those who don't want to give up their right to drive. You know, the kind of person who runs a red light/stop sign but knows that they couldn't do that in an automated car. Jerks in other words.
Carl246

They did not mention the time frame that it took to drive the distance, nor the cost of this vehicle, which is at the heart of the issue.
Time is money, but also your freedom to be in control, to speed to break laws. Any and all fully automated self driving vehicles will/must be programed to obey every single road law, basically a perfect driver. Well we are not in a perfect world, and no one will be paying astronomical costs to achieve the perfected transportation mode. Simply stomp on the accelerator and disengage what ever level was programmed, assuming the human in charge did not make an error in judgment and forgot to engage the various levels in the first place. Lawyers will love this new venue, and it will be short-lived.
Software preprogramed to fakebelieve that your diesel is green, while you blatantly pay through the nose...is just the tip of the iceberg...

This is the future. But I wonder what all those radar microwaves are going to do to future generations?

All well and good, until you watch this TED Talk:
http://www.ted.com/talks/todd_humphreys_how_to_fool_a_gps

If they use Blue tooth and Google maps I would be keeping well away.

Ignore the negative comments. This is the car which opens the world to all those - like me - imprisoned by handicaps. Just make it accessible to the wheelchair crowd (and move it to America) and we'll be lined up outside your door.