Meanwhile, in the "Dystopian Vision" hall at the Paris Motor Show, there's the Ligier VIPA, a driver-free electric vehicle with room for six passengers that's as cute as a puppy with encephalitis. Eric Schmidt, your car has arrived!
The Ligier, set to go into production next year, is basically an electric golf cart with a missile guidance system. Its forward cameras and GPS sensors map a route, then analyze images to drive it. Six people can ride, and none have any control over where the damn thing goes. Lucky for them, it tops out at 12.5 mph, and can only travel about 3/4ths of a mile on a charge.
The French will begin inflicting this on their citizens next year in car parks, office centers and retirement communities where the sight of a robot car won't be unnerving in the slightest. Maybe if it really works well, they can sell some to Google.