[K3G]

It will take a decrease in sensor costs for this to become commercially viable. The "device" on top of the car is a Velodyne LIDAR system, which if I recall correctly, costs around $75k. Using a sensor that costs more than the vehicle it controls makes selling this difficult, to say the least.

[yellowbkpk]

If Google sees the cost as a problem they'll buy Velodyne and sell the LIDAR for $500 so that adoption leaps forward (just like the Nexus One).

Or they'll develop their own and sell it through a third party.

[bruceboughton]

You could say this about any new technology. Mass demand will solve this problem.

[akgerber]

Aren't car companies essentially all about wringing huge efficiencies out of mass production? Compare an automotive product to something requiring a similar manufacturing technique with more niche demand and there's usually a huge price difference.