Not quite. Although there are no truly autonomous cars on sale and won’t be for many years, some cars come close to driving themselves in certain circumstances.
The American solution
Tesla has its Autopilot system, which costs Model S buyers £2200 (or £2600 as a post-purchase upgrade). Using a combination of ultrasonic sensors, radar and a forward-facing camera, Autopilot can detect other road users, as well as lane-markings.
It will steer, manage speed, brake and even change lanes.
Tested by employees
Mercedes-Benz has Drive Pilot, which is available to E-Class buyers as part of the Driver Assistance Plus Package (£1695). It has been through one million kilometres (more than 600,000 miles) of testing, with regular Mercedes-Benz employees, rather than vehicle engineers, in the driver’s seat. A spokesperson told us: “Drive…