C In 2004 US army research agency DARPA challenged engineers to try to build a self-driving car. Though the course had only simple barriers and no other traffic, none of the vehicles reached the end. Twelve years later the technology has advanced so far that producers are testing a self-driving car on roads with real traffic, trying to make it absolutely safe for both passengers and pedestrians. “I figured if I was able to make a car that was smart enough to drive itself, I could probably make a car that was smart enough to be a bit safer. So from my point of view, safety has always been our major concern,” said Ford’s James McBride. And it’s not just about the safety, producers also have to make sure consumers are willing to let go of the wheel. “We don’t want to go too far too fast because the consumers may not be expecting that. There’s a long way to go.” said K IA ’s Joseph Steffey. One thing that can help customers get used to not being in control is the driving simulator ( 模拟器 ). Wearing virtual reality ( 虚拟现实 ) glasses, drivers can experience the sense of being passive behind the wheel. Some cars are already equipped with electronics, such as sensors, video cameras, lane-change warning lights and other devices ( 设备 ). Researchers say future cars will also be able to communicate with the world around them, such as pedestrians’ smart phones. “We can see that pedestrian s are walking, and then we can pick them up if they walk out in front of the car, and the car will choose to stop . ” said Steffey. Experts say that safe and affordable self-driving cars should be available to the average consumer within four to five years.