We will see semi-autonomous vehicles on the highway by 2015, able to steer, accelerate and avoid collisions unaided, and fully autonomous vehicles by 2020, projects Alan Taub, vice-president for R&D at General Motors.

Meanwhile, Japan’s new Driving Safety Support System (DSSS), which can show alerts on satnav displays warning of traffic lights, stop signs and even pedestrians and cyclists on the road ahead, will be in use at major intersections nationwide by the middle of 2011.