The first attempts at removing humans from the act of driving were made in the 1920s.
Since then, the technology used to control driverless cars has varied greatly but the main goals have remained surprisingly constant. Driverless and autonomous cars are a way to reduce traffic congestion on crowded roads, improve safety and, last but not least, make money…
NavLab 1 (1986)
Carnegie Mellon University promoted research in the field of self-driving cars before most American schools. In 1986, a pivotal year in the history of the autonomous car, researchers from the School of Robotics turned a Chevrolet van into a prototype named Navlab 1. The cargo compartment was big enough to comfortably house a team of researchers plus the computers and controllers needed for the van to drive itself. The ability to override the system was programmed into the prototype early on.