A U.S. patent for self-driving cars has been awarded to Google.  The intellectual property rights relate to a method to switch a vehicle from a human-controlled mode into the state where it takes charge of the wheel.  It explains how the car would know when to take control, where it is located and which direction to drive in.  The search firm suggests the technology could be used to offer tours of tourist locations or to send faulty models to repair shops.  The application for Transitioning a Mixed-mode Vehicle to Autonomous Mode was applied for in May, but had been hidden from public view until this week.  [BBC News, 15 Dec 2011]

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