Tags: audi, driverless, google, maps, sensors, street view, toyota

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A US patent for cars driven automatically has been awarded to Google.

The intellectual property rights relate to a method to switch a vehicle from a human driven mode into the selection that enables it to drive itself.

It explains how and when the car would know where to take control, where it is located and which direction it needs to be heading in.

The search firm suggests the technology has opened up new routes, for example, the  touring of tourist locations or to send damaged/faulty models to repair shops.

The document states that the car uses  two sets of sensors which identifies a “landing strip” when the vehicle stops which in turn triggers the second set of sensors that receive data informing the machine where it is positioned and where it should go.

“The landing strip allows a human driving the vehicle to know acceptable parking places for the vehicle,” the patent filing says.

“Additionally, the landing strip may indicate to the vehicle that it is parked in a region where it may transition into autonomous mode.”

Google explains that the driver may not always wish to leave the vehicle after it has switched into automatic mode and gives the example of a self-drive vehicle providing a tour of Chicago’s Millennium Park with the machine programmed to stop at the site’s ice rink, fountain and sculptures for set amounts of time before returning to its starting point.

Although the technology described may sound brand new, Google has been testing a range of driverless cars for years. The vehicles use artificial intelligence and the Google Street View maps as well as cameras alongside a range of sensors.

It has adapted cars including the  Toyota Prius and Audi TT  which have driven 160,000 miles with little human control and more than 1,000 miles without any human input.

The patent will allow Google to restrict other companies from using a similar method to switch their cars between human-controlled and automatic modes. Alternatively it could charge them a fee for a licence.

Experts say driverless cars could become a commercial prospect sooner than most people believe.

Do you believe Google has again managed to grab hold of a gem? Do they hold the key to the future of driverless technology? Leave a comment below and tell us what you think!