Watch CBS News

Self-Driving Car To Begin Coast-To-Coast Road Trip From San Francisco To New York On Sunday

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – As tech companies and automakers experiment with self-driving vehicles, an autonomous car is set to embark on a first-of-its-kind coast-to-coast road trip.

An Audi SUV equipped with technologies from automotive parts supplier Delphi will begin its cross-country journey near the Golden Gate Bridge on Sunday. The 3,500 mile trip is expected to finish at the New York International Auto Show a week later.

RELATED: Tesla CEO Says Driverless Cars To Be Taken For Granted, Human Drivers Could Be Banned

"Delphi had great success testing its car in California and on the streets of Las Vegas," Delphi chief technology officer Jeff Owens said in a written statement. "Now it's time to put our vehicle to the ultimate test by broadening the range of driving conditions."

The vehicle is equipped with several active safety technologies that the company has developed. They include advanced radar and software that lets the vehicle make complex driving decisions, such as merging onto a highway.

According to a report in PC Magazine, three company engineers will be riding along for the entire journey, and one of them will sit behind the wheel at all times. The vehicle will not drive at night on its own.

Earlier this year, an Audi using technology from the automaker completed a fully automated drive from Stanford University to Las Vegas, a trip of 550 miles.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.