Self-driving car closer to reality

AUSTIN, (KXAN) - For decades, people have joked about the future and flying cars, but it's 2013 and believe it or not we are living in the future.

While we're not flying around like the Jetsons, Google claims self-driving cars could be on the roads within the next five years.

A team was in Austin this week showing off their newest Lexus RX450h test model.

The car has a laser fitted on top that will give the computer a 360 degree view allowing the computer to recognize cars, people and road paint during the day and night.

There are cameras behind the windshield to detect traffic lights, turn signals and brake lights.

The front radar can measure the distance and speed of surrounding vehicles.

All of this technology combined allows the car to see the world in 3-D.

Google says the self-driving car would be more reliable then a human driver.

The self-driving car can only drive on pre-mapped roads.

The car would have to be driven manually for any roads that have not been driven prior but as the car drives the road the computer will map it which in turn will allow other self-driving cars to drive on the same road within a few days.    

Last year, engineers drove the experimental car 300,000 miles with zero accidents.

While Google has no plans to commercially develop the system now, some lawmakers argue the technology is advancing so quickly, it already outdates most laws that presume to have a person behind the wheel.