We have all seen video of self driving cars by now. Either we have seen them parking, driving around a city, or just finding it’s way through a parking garage. But just because the technology is here and we see it in practice, does not mean we will be seeing any self driving cars on the market for sale anytime in the near future. Read more after the jump

@IamJOE357

A few states allow for self-driving cars to legally be on the road for testing purposes only. And for many years to come it seems that will be the only way they will legally be on the road. Google has hopes to actually have self driving cars for sale and on the market for drivers within 5 years. But insurance companies and government regulators say that is pretty much impossible. Insurance policies would have to be re-written to acknowledge a self driving car is in control rather than a person. How would they be able to determine who is at fault is a software failure is the reason to blame for an accident. Is it fair to raise a driver’s insurance for an accident they didn’t actually play a part of? It could take 5-10 years at least just to have a standard in place. Google and the auto industry are excited for the thought of taking driver error out of the picture. About 33,000 people die in car crashes each year with the majority of them being caused by driver error. Google aruges that is the self driving cars can be on the market sooner than later it would greatly reduce the number of traffic realated deaths each year. Still, when it comes to insurance and government, those are usually 2 types of agencies that move slower than a turtle.