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Self-Driving Cars Could Be A Part Of The Very Near Future

NEW YORK(CBSNewYork) -- Cars that can drive themselves are no longer a matter of if, but when.

Several auto makers are racing to get self driving vehicles on the road, and as CBS 2's Jericka Duncan reported, Google is working on one with no steering wheel.

The tech giant recently released a video showing people taking a ride in their latest self-driving vehicle.

It doesn't have a steering wheel or pedals, after users push a button the electric car uses sensors to drive itself.

This is the first time that Google has designed a model on its own. For years the company has been testing its technology in Toyota made vehicles.

CNET's Seth Rosenblatt recently took a ride in a Lexus which uses a huge roof sensor to navigate the road.

"It sees pedestrians, it sees other cars, it knows when there is a lane splitting motorcycle coming up," Rosenblatt said.

Several automakers including Nissan, Mercedes, and Volvo have been road testing their own self-driving vehicles which could go on sale by 2020 or earlier.

Google is following a similar timeline and plans to build at least 100 cars for testing purposes.

The search giant does not necessarily want to make cars on its own and is looking to partner with an automaker who can help get its driverless technology on the road.

Many of Google's cars were tested in California where the Department of Motor Vehicles plans to create regulations for self-driving cars by the end of the year.

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