It looks like something Nyan Cat might drive when not creating beautiful hallucinogenic rainbows with its butt. It also lacks a steering wheel and has a top speed designed for school zones. What I’m talking about of course is Google’s first publicly displayed purpose-built driverless car. Debuting this week with a YouTube video showing average folks warily getting in and then heading off down a closed parking lot, the car certainly made believers out of video editing skeptics as all the participants were shown to have really enjoyed the experience. Of course, they didn’t invite any of us. Look, this is a first cautious toe in the water for automated cars, and the fact is that in some form or another, something like this is going to play a roll in future urban transportation scenarios. With population densities increasing and space for new roads dwindling, something is going to have to be done to make the infrastructure we have work more efficiently. Having cars that not only drive themselves without distractions but also potentially talk to one another means that traffic can tighten up on the roads and commutes can turn from mad uncoordinated free for alls to beautiful ballets. Of course some people like the chaos that the existing paradigm engenders because it allows for individual decisions and expression, you know, FREEDOM! What about you, do you see the Google car as a harbinger of doom for our auto-centric way of life and everything that stands for? Or, do you take a more pragmatic approach to it and consider that automated cars will free up enough time and road for you to better enjoy an old school you-control-it ride? Image: Yahoo Autos