"The only problem is that you can't actually see a cell phone in the guy's hand, and the person taking the picture, unless stopped at a traffic light or stop sign, was also using his or her own phone. Oops!"
Well if these cars are considered autonomous then I've been using autonomous vehicles for years. They're called trains, you may have heard of them or even use one yourself. They run on tracks, are always late and the ride is really really boring!!!! Yes the idea of a car that drives itself is really cool but i see it more as a driver aid like radar guided cruise control and not a replacement for the actual.
Google is becoming a big monopoly, just like Microsoft and AT&T so of course they are under the microscope. As far as the cars, great idea and I hope it becomes practicle and affordable on every vehicle. Wouldn't this be great for driving at night during light traffic. But what about areas like deer crossings and such. It's problably going to take a long time to get this right.
Google's just glad to be able to cause every person the agony of falling off a cliff or of getting hit by a car on a highway because of bad google maps directions.
Next up, autonomous border patrol so that wars can be started because of incorrect border lines in google maps!
Is it illegal to be on your Cell Phone while driving there? I live in Texas and the only place it is illegal is in School Zone and only if it is clearly posted.
The photo could have been taken by someone in the rear of the car, so the assumption that the Jalopnik reader was the driver of another car is not altogether founded.
Unless they said that they were driving, in which case..... EPIC FAIL.