September 6, 2013
Computer-Operated Car Transports a Republican
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 1 MIN.
A computer-operated car has taken a Pennsylvania congressman for a ride.
Rep. Bill Shuster, a Republican from Altoona, made a 33-mile trip from Cranberry Township to Pittsburgh International Airport at about 11 a.m. Wednesday in a self-driven car designed by Carnegie Mellon University. Shuster is the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and he was accompanied by Barry Schoch, secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
The Cadillac SXR was driven along local roads and highways by a computer that uses inputs from radars, laser rangefinders, and infrared cameras. The car reached speeds of 65 mph, and a Carnegie Mellon engineer was in the driver's seat as a safety precaution.
A camera recorded the trip and streaming video is available online.
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Online: http://rtml.ece.cmu.edu/Shuster
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
