Our Cars Might Drive Themselves in the Next Decade Two Electric Driverless Vans Complete 8,000-Mile Journey

First there was Google's computer-driven car, which was awesome. Now we're learning that two electric driverless vans have completed an 8,000-mile journey from Italy to China.

From Gas 2.0:

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Using a system called the Generic Obstacle and Lane Detector, or GOLD, these two vans were able to pretty much guide themselves across the two continents. Lasers scanners and video cameras worked together to ensure the vans didn’t cause any accidents (and it is pretty remarkable they made it that far unscathed.) The researchers had to intervene in heavy traffic or at toll booths, but for the most part they did the driving themselves. The vans also happened to be electric, and they did manage an average speed of just 38 mph. What really drew the journey out though was the fact that the vans had to be charged for eight hours every time they ran out of juice.

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What does it all mean? According to Gas 2.0, we might be buying cars and trucks that drive themselves in a decade or so. Though, amazing as the journey is, it's worth noting that it took four months for the vans to complete.