Automakers, suppliers, universities and government labs around the world are scrambling to develop self-driving vehicles. In fact, Nissan is currently building a “dedicated autonomous driving proving ground” in Japan. When it opens later this year, the facility will feature real brick-and-mortar townscapes that will be used to push vehicle testing beyond the limits possible on public roads.
According to a recent report by Navigant Research, sales of autonomous vehicles will skyrocket from fewer than 8,000 annually in 2020 to 95 million by 2035, representing 75 percent of all light-duty vehicle sales.