Vehicles gearing up with a mind of their own

Reading a book or texting while driving is unacceptable for many. But things may be about to change, and not such a long time from now. Riding in a car that drives itself is the realization of a science fiction dream, one that is rolling steadily into our future.

Many carmakers began seriously looking into self-driving cars a decade ago, but until a few years ago the idea remained confined to laboratories.

Now companies such as US Internet giant Google Inc have made great strides with self-driving cars. Carmakers like Sweden-based Volvo Car Corp, which is owned by China's Geely Automobile, are starting to test their self-driving cars on the road.