As optimistic as visionaries like Elon Musk might be, we're probably still a ways from having truly self-driving cars. After all, Google's famous fleet can't even navigate rainy roads yet.
But automakers are making strides toward an autonomous vehicle with new systems to make a car stay in its lane, automatically brake if it's heading toward an object or another vehicle and even come close to parking itself.
Baby steps. Maybe we won't have auto-pilot rides in the six-year time frame recently predicted by Musk, but AutoWorldNews remains optimistic--which is why we've imagined what a future holiday with the family might look like in an Internet of Things world.
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It's Thanksgiving Day, sometime in the near future.
You wake up in the morning to find that your smart thermostat has adjusted the heat because the temperature is dropping, while your smart coffee maker has started brewing coffee to supply your necessary jolt for the day.
Your kids aren't old enough to remember, but you briefly reminisce on a time before cars drove and directed themselves. Fender benders were more frequent and a road trip involved battling a GPS system or struggling with a printed map.
Today, your family will visit Grandma by taking a trip in your self-driving car. It took Google a while to work out the kinks, but finally an auto-pilot vehicle can take over the wheel for you.
A car that covers the road trip part means that everyone can relax, including Mom and Dad. Maybe by now, a car ride will be more like sitting in a smaller version of your living room that happens to be moving. You can sit back, relax and maybe have some quality family time--or put on a favorite holiday movie if the drive starts to feel too long.
And once the self-driving car takes you to your destination, it'll be time to go in and enjoy a 3-D printed Thanksgiving dinner with the family.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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