What is a self-driving car?
A self-driving car is a car that can drive without any human input. Also called an autonomous car, a self-driving car combines a host of driver assistance technologies such as adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist and park assist.
We are probably decades away from anything that could be called a fully self-driving car. Currently, some vehicles have much less sophisticated semi-autonomous driving systems, but road laws stipulate that the driver still has to be alert and vigilant while they're being used.
Related glossary terms
ACC - adaptive cruise controlAdaptive cruise control (ACC) is a form of cruise control that uses radars and other sensors to maintain a constant distance from the car in front. LKA - lane keep assistLKA (lane-keep assist), is a system that uses cameras to detect where the edges of your lane are, alerting you when you drift out.Parking assistParking assist, sometimes called self-park assistance, is when your car can partially or fully manoeuvre into a parking space for you.