Bosch says we’ll start seeing autonomous vehicles within a decade

It should be obvious by now that autonomous vehicles are the future of the automotive industry and, while they may not fully replace manual vehicles, will certainly become a popular option, the only question is when. According to Bosch, the automotive supplier has contracts to supply various components for self-driving technologies in 2017 and 2018, which suggests that we’ll start seeing autonomous vehicles on the road within a decade. 

Several carmakers have big plans for self-driving cars, but the components needed to put those cars on the road will likely come from an array of suppliers. Suppliers like Bosch, for example. The German company will soon roll out technology needed to let cars drive themselves on highways and autonomously change lanes, according to Automotive News (subscription required). Bosch says it has contracts to supply radar, cameras, control units, and other equipment in 2017 and 2018. It’s part of a four-stage timetable the company plans to use to introduce the technology. Beginning in 2017, Bosch plans to offer “integrated highway assist,” which allows a car to travel at speeds up to 75 mph on the highway, while remaining in its lane.