IN THE NOT-TOO-DISTANT FUTURE, YOUR CAR MIGHT BE DRIVING ITSELF DOWN THE ROAD, WHILE YOU
RELAX INSIDE.
AND CAR BODIES COULD EVEN BE MADE WITHOUT TOOLS -- MANUFACTURED INSTEAD BY 3D PRINTERS.
THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE ADVANCES THAT INDUSTRY INSIDERS SAY ARE ALREADY REALITY.
JOINING ME NOW IS VOA'S GEORGE PUTIC TO TALK ABOUT THESE CARS OF THE FUTURE.
SO LISTEN GEORGE ... YOU'VE GOT AUTO-PILOT ... AND PRINTED CAR BODIES THAT YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT, WHICH JUST BLOWS MY MIND.
BUT LET'S FIRST GO TO THE AUTO-PILOT CARS...
WHERE ARE WE THAT IN THE FUTURE?
WE ARE CLOSE.
THE TECHNOLOGY IS ALREADY HERE.
GOOGLE HAS A VERY ADVANCED AUTO-PILOT CAR, AND IT DRIVES PERFECTLY.
IT HAS BEEN IN TESTING STAGE FOR A LONG TIME.
HASN'T HAD ANY MAJOR ACCIDENTS.
AND OBVIOUSLY THE TECHNOLOGY IS HERE BUT WE HAVE TO GET USED TO IT.
NOW IT'S HERE -- IS IT REFINED ENOUGH?
SO YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT 10 YEARS AWAY WHERE THE MAINSTREAM PUBLIC COULD KIND OF ACTUALLY
SIT BACK, RELAX AND ENJOY THE RIDE?
IT'S VERY REFINED.
IT CAN REACT TO MANY MANY UNFORESEEN FOR A REGULAR DRIVER CIRCUMSTANCES AND IT REACTS
PERFECTLY.
SO IT HAS BEEN AS I SAID IN TESTING PHASE FOR A LONG TIME AND HASN'T HAD ANY ACCIDENTS.
WE HAVE TO CHANGE OUR LAWS.
WELL I'M SURE IT'S COMING I ASSUME, SO WE CAN DRINK OUR CAPPUCINO AND WATCH THE TV WHILE
THE CAR IS DRIVING FOR US.
NOW WHAT ABOUT THESE 3D PRINTED AUTO BODIES THAT YOU SHOWCASED, BECAUSE THAT IS ANOTHER
MIND BOGGLING TECHNOLOGY.
THAT IS AN EXPERIMENT BY A GERMAN FIRM AND IT'S VERY INTERESTING, YES.
3D PRINTERS ARE NOW INDUSTRIAL SIZED, THEY CAN PRINT VERY LARGE OBJECTS.
AND OBVIOUSLY A PRINTED CHASSIS.
WHEN THEY SAY PRINTED CARS, IT DOESN'T MEAN THEY PRINT THE ENGINE.
BUT IT'S ACTUALLY A CHASSIS IN ONE PART.
THEY TOOK THE SAMPLE FROM THE BODY OF A TURTLE.
THE TURTLE'S SHELL IS VERY VERY HARD SHELL AS WE KNOW AND IT CAN WITHSTAND A LOT OF STRESSS.
SO THEY DESIGNED A SHELL THAT LOOKS LIKE A TURTLE SHELL SOMEWHAT.
IT'S NOT A CAR, IT'S JUST A CHASSIS.
WELL I CAN'T WAIT TO DRIVE MY TURTLE SHELL CAR THAT DRIVES FOR ME.
THANKS A LOT.
GEORGE PUTIC, FOR VOICE OF AMERICA.