Hands-free driving?

"Above all, what we have achieved today is an important milestone on the path towards accident-free car driving," emphasises Leohold at today's final presentation of the EU research project HAVEit in the Swedish city of BorĂĄs. The Temporary Auto Pilot (TAP) bundles semi-automatic functions, i.e. functions monitored by the driver, with other driver assistance systems, such as ACC adaptive cruise control and the Lane Assist lane-keeping system into one comprehensive function. "Nonetheless, the driver always retains driving responsibility and is always in control," continues Leohold. "The driver can override or deactivate the system at any time and must continually monitor it."

We are guessing it operates a lot like cruise control - it works until you tap the brake or turn the wheel a little.

But it is customizable, too. TAP always offers the driver an optimal degree of automation as a function of the driving situation, acquisition of the surroundings and driver and system states. It is intended to prevent accidents due to driving errors by an inattentive, distracted driver.

It can maintain a safe distance to the vehicle ahead, drive at a set speed, reduce the speed for an upcoming curve and observe passing rules and speed limits. It also manages to handle the stop-and-go of traffic jams, but the driver must maintain attention continually in order to intervene should a potentially dangerous and unexpected situation arrives.

All-in-all, pretty impressive stuff, and certainly promising of a future when we can just plug in our destination and be whisked away by a fully automated drive to our work, home or entertainment.