Not too long ago, self-driving cars were the realm of science-fiction but today, the technology is a reality. In California alone, different companies have a combined test-fleet of 409 autonomous vehicles out on the roads. Meanwhile, Tesla owners all over the world are able to enable their autopilot system to give their cars a full self-driving capability. With considerable progress made in recent years, when do Americans expect driverless cars to become mainstream?
A new Gallup poll asked 1,503 U.S. respondents that very question and 34 percent of them said they expect fully autonomous vehicles to become a common sight across the nation within the next 6-10 years. 19 percent of those polled are even more optimistic, expecting self-driving cars to become common within five years.