The blind can now drive

Innovations in automated driving have led to speculation that blind people may be able to take to the wheel. But do they want to drive - and could it become a reality?

How would you feel if a blind person pulled up next to you in a car?

This time last year, Google released a video showing a blind man driving a car. He was seen going to a local drive-through restaurant near his home in San Jose, California, and later collecting dry cleaning without any difficulty.

Steve Mahan, the driver, heads the Santa Clara Valley Blind Center and hadn't been in the driver's seat of a car since giving up his license eight years earlier after losing 95% of his sight. On this occasion, the only action he performed was to press a start button. He couldn't control the car independently, but the video showed an intent to make driving more accessible and safe for everyone.
 

Is this innovative or simply dangerous? Will you feel cool being driven by a blind taxi driver?