Take the Wheel, or Not: A Look at the Self-Driving Car of the Future [#Infographic]

In 1962, the “car of future” was depicted as a wingless flying machine equipped with a departure-pod system. At least that’s what the creators of The Jetsons imagined.

Looking at the cars cruising on the streets today makes it evident that William Hanna and Joseph Barbera’s high-flying dreams have not yet come to fruition.

But we are closer to owning cars that drive themselves. A new infographic presented by InsuranceQuotes.com provides an overview of the driverless car of the future.

In the years to come, human interfaces such as the steering wheel may be replaced with adaptive sensors and software. Among these new technologies will be electro-optical/infrared cameras that will detect lane departure and help to avoid reverse collisions.

By the year 2040, autonomous cars will account for up to 75 percent of vehicles on the road. They not only will be programmed to follow local traffic laws but also will move into intersections seamlessly.

Since 90 percent of vehicle crashes can be attributed to driver error, let’s hope the self-driving car comes sooner rather than later.

Take a look at the full infographic below to learn more about the car of the future.