Would be interested to know how the cars will cope with pedestrians that appear from behind buses or kids that run onto the road to chase there ball etc.

Emma, London,

it's a logical progression of our technology really. Saying people should just learn to driver better reeks of old-school thought and denies our evolution towards human/machine symbiosis. Get with the here and now people, its an exciting time to be alive. I can't wait to get into one of these things :) (and if I crash and die, well, at the least the system will only get better developed haha!)

michael, brisvegas, queensland, australia

Assistive technology for drivers has been possible for years; people in the industry were dreaming of car-trains ten years ago when I joined it. The real problem is not the technology - it's the people.

Those 'idiots' who drive without care for others are the same people who will resist technology - they want to 'drive', not sit still. This is the real reason automatic transmission, cruise control, lane-following, radar following etc. isn't on all cars - demand, not capability, is the limiting factor.

Why not make cruise control mandatory on all new cars? There's no reason not to have it, and that would take our eyes from the speedometers and back onto the road - looking out for those driving without due care and attention, and maybe saving a few lives.

David McCabe, Oxford, UK

Surely the cheapest way to improve the standard of driving is to have a far stiffer test, written and practical, and even (dare I say it?) age limitations, eg only drivers over 25 and under 60!!! How about that then?

Johnie Bennett, Worthing , west sussex

Y'know what'd be even better? If people had to actually learn to drive before getting a license. Automatic parallel parking, traction control, 'anti-tipping', all these things do is promote laziness and ineptitude. If driving is too much of a bother, then don't do it.

Ben, Iron River,

Perhaps the problem is that drivers aren't dumb enough.

Jonathan Lowenstein, Tel-Aviv, Israel

The insurance companies should definetly be investing into this technology. It's them who has to pay out the claims after the accidents.

One thing they failed to mention was the possibility of the robot vechiles communicating with each other. If one vechile communicated their locations to the other vechiles, they would all know who was pulling off or turning. As well if the vechiles communicated with the traffic signals then there would be no more running red lights.

Just think..no more little old lady drivers going 60 km/h in the fast lane.

My only concern is changing weather conditions. A vehicle would have to be able to recognize when the road become covered in snow and heavy rain. As well there would be the worry about over powering the road on 'black ice'.

B Woodfield, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Brilliant idea. I am a professional driver and have driven just about everything there is to drive. Over the past few years, I have come to hate driving because of some of the lunatics now on the road.
I am also the world's greatest passenger; I love to be driven, but no matter how good you or your driver is, no matter how skillful, you are still at the mercy of the unpredictable motorist; the guy who doesn't drive by the rules. I'm pretty certain some of them get their licences out a lucky bag.
Give me robotic drivers any time, at least they will be kitted out with a brain.

David, Liverpool, UK

It should be simple to fund automated driving, as road traffic accidents cost the UK 6 billion pounds a year. And what a result it would be! No more staring at a road for hours on end. I could read, work, sleep or even talk on the mobile phone!

Mike Ayres, Bodmin, Cornwall

The opening two sentences say it all.
The real problem is that the idiots behind the wheel are oblivious to the fact they are idiots and our law enforcers only target one type of motoring offence. Investment in technology to facilitate the prosecution of a motorist who breaks the speed limited has meant that no investment goes into other forms of motoring offences that are equally, and in some cases more, dangerous. Driving standards on the UK roads are at an all time low with too many people barely able to steer a vehicle let alone drive it safely.

K Vast, Gosport,

agree and agree and agree--- and am old....... where is behind the wheel education.. am an educator and k now it is .. But...... and where is the check and balance... have a friend her mother is mostly blind but her drivers license says she can drive... another one in Oshkosh, WI... a women who is in her late 90's got her license renewed until she is 102... big celebration.. NOT -----

The problem is no responsibility.. but see people my age doing dumb things... am 67.... and sure realize that we do change.. but for younger persons who speed and who do not consider others... VERY VERY SAD..BUT THE Kitt has to be better then the robots that answer telephone calls....

Carole Olson, Wautoma, , usa... wi