A self-driving car might seem like something from the distant future or a science fiction story, but if you ask anyone at German automaker, Volkswagen, they'll simply say it's the company's new Temporary Auto Pilot system, also known as TAP. We here at Lindsay Volkswagen of Dulles weren't entirely sure what to think of this new idea, as a self-driving car does seem like a risky thing to have on the road... Nevertheless, we were impressed, once we learned more.

The new Volkswagen Temporary Auto Pilot system has been designed to be a middle ground between driver assistance technology (i.e., park assist) and fully automated vehicles. Don't let that fool you into thinking that it's not designed to let the car to the driving, though. Volkswagen claims that the system is designed to allow a vehicle to drive on the highway at speeds of up to 80 miles per hour, without needing the driver to operate.

So how is it a middle ground, then? The system has been designed for the driver to actively monitor the vehicles performance, and intervene if necessary. Sorry, folks, but this isn't quite the full self driving system we've been hoping for. Still it's an impressive step in the right direction.

As for when we can expect to see the Volkswagen Temporary Auto Pilot system in vehicles like the Volkswagen Golf, Tiguan, and Passat? That won't be for a little while longer. There's still the matter of making vehicles like this legal. However, new legislature in Nevada indicates that we could already be on the road to fully-legal self driving systems.

After six months of contemplation, Nevada has become the first state to legalize self-driven vehicles on a consumer level. Of course, the new law will be closely monitored to see how the vehicles perform. Furthermore, the new law will require self-driving cars to bare a red license plate in order to give fair warning to others on the road.

Prefer to operate your own vehicle? Not only do we understand. We offer a wide range of new Volkswagen models to choose from here at 22455 Cedar Green Road Sterling, VA 20166. What's more, arranging a test drive is as simple as contacting us online or by phone at (888) 789-1340.