Now we know what Google's self-driving cars are for

We announced our self-driving car project in 2010 to make driving safer, more enjoyable, and more efficient. Having safely completed over 200,000 miles of computer-led driving, we wanted to share one of our favorite moments. Here's Steve, who joined us for a special drive on a carefully programmed route to experience being behind the wheel in a whole new way.

And there we were thinking self-driving cars were for the noble goal of us never having to drive again :)

"The patent, which was first spotted by TechCrunch, would allow advertisers to offer potential customers a free ride to their place of business. This would solve one of the biggest problems for brick-and-mortar retailers: getting customers to their location. The system would offer free or discounted transportation based on an algorithm-powered decision making process involving the user's current location, the cost of transportation, and the potential profit from a completed sale. The concept is basically a "free ride coupon" and mentioned transportation modes like taxis, trains, buses, or even autonomous vehicles."

From Ars Technica