Automated Vehicles Are Hitting the Road, but They May Not Be Ready for Traffic

Driverless vehicles are on the road in the United States in spite of federal safety investigations and serious roadway perception concerns.

A Waymo autonomous vehicle on Market Street in San Francisco on Nov. 17, 2023. Jason Henry/AFP via Getty Images

Artificial intelligence-powered autonomous vehicles are already on the streets in multiple major U.S. cities, but leading researchers say the novel technology is not fully ready for the road.

At the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in January, dozens of companies showcased their latest innovations in the self-driving vehicle and autonomous vehicle (AV) space. One of the biggest names in the business, Waymo, anchored an entire wing of the Las Vegas Convention Center dedicated to burgeoning technology.