Let's play Chinese checkers in new cars

China's Internet and tech giants are driving autonomous car technology that brings 'disruptive innovation' to the automobile industry

Self-driving or driverless vehicles may sound like science fiction, but for some of the technology's advocates, including major automobile companies, the real question is when and how they will become a commercial reality.

They are convinced that computers have the potential to make better drivers than humans. For one, computers don't get drunk or fall asleep while at the wheel. For another, they can respond much faster than human brains at times of emergencies.