1. Introduction/overview of the topic and questions to be discussed: Although the idea of ​​self-driving cars seems futuristic and far away, society is actually close to seeing them on the road. Taking the steering wheel away from humans and putting it in the hands of computers and artificial intelligence will obviously change travel forever. As a result, many questions need to be answered before people will feel comfortable trusting automated vehicles. What kind of technology will be needed to ensure that self-driving cars operate safely and think like humans? Will they really make the roads safer? Will people buy them? How will they affect traffic? 2. History of Autonomous Cars and Vehicles First, let's start with the progression of cars to Early innovations included the electric start, four-wheel hydraulic brakes, windshield wipers, automatic transmission, power steering, front-wheel drive and independent suspension. In the 1940s, when cars were already well established in society and began to modernize, manufacturers began to improve the appearance of cars and the power of engines (Hosansky). In the 21st century, environmental concerns have pushed manufacturers to design electric cars and cars with hybrid engines. Constant developments have led some people, including Francis P. Houdina, to dream of science fiction-type scenarios where one day cars could drive themselves (Hosansky). In 1925, Houdina introduced a radio-controlled, driverless car that navigated traffic on Broadway and Fifth Avenue in New York (Hosansky). Houdina's vehicle was equipped with an antenna that allowed it to be controlled by a second car, which followed closely and sent radio signals. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, tests proved that buried magnetic cables could manipulate cars. Yet technological advances have led some to believe that vehicles could be designed to operate on their own without special roadside devices (Hosansky). Congress passed a law in 1991 requiring the U.S. Department of Transportation to introduce an automated vehicle and highway system. This legislation has sparked multiple demonstrations of automated vehicles, such as Although most people haven't noticed it, many of the important features that would be required for self-driving cars already exist. Many vehicles use advanced driver assistance systems, or ADAS, such as rearview cameras, lane monitoring, and auto-braking systems (Snyder). As one might imagine, using enough ADAS essentially allows vehicles to operate themselves. Another concern with autonomous vehicles is their ability to react to obstacles and comply with traffic laws. Google has implemented a laser system and other sensors to solve this problem. Google engineer Chris Urmson says the 64-beam Velodyne laser "is the heart of our system" (Guizzo). The laser produces a complete 3D map of the surrounding environment; Then, the car uses laser measurements and other maps to analyze data patterns, allowing it to drive while avoiding obstacles and obeying traffic laws. In addition, four radars mounted on the front and rear bumpers allow the car to "see" far enough to assess fast-moving traffic on highways, and a camera placed near the rearview mirror that identifies traffic lights gives the impression that 'a human is behind the vehicle.