The auto industry can't stop talking about autonomous cars and how soon we'll be relaxing on our work commutes instead of driving.
In the latest news, Audi took out a license to test self-driving cars in California after the state's regulations kicked in on Tuesday. And of course, tech giant Google has long been making headlines with its self-driving white fleet of connected cars.
What will a world of self-driving vehicles look like? Some say automatic systems will keep us much safer on the roads since human error will be removed from driving; on the other hand, the FBI recently said in a report that autonomous vehicles could potentially be "lethal weapons" for criminals.
Vehicles of the future will purportedly be connected enough to "talk" to each other to prevent accidents and reduce traffic, and they'll probably be much more akin to your iPhone than your first car. Add self-driving to the mix, and what you have is essentially a robot on wheels--so maybe the next natural step is for cars to develop a personality.
Far-fetched? Definitely. But who's to say cars of the future won't be a lot more like Herbie from 1968's "The Love Bug" than anyone thought was possible 50 years ago?
For now, here are six rides from movie fame that will get you in gear for a world where cars do the driving.
1. Herbie
This Volkswagen Beetle designated with a "53" first appeared in "The Love Bug" in 1968 and went on to star in "Herbie Rides Again," "Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo" and "Herbie Goes Bananas"--films that spanned 12 years, not a bad run for a little car.
Herbie, a 1963 Beetle that happens to be alive, has a mind of his own and takes his owners through plenty of misadventures in the films. After competing in many races and working as a taxi, Herbie fell in love with a yellow Volkswagen Beetle in the 2005 franchise reboot "Herbie Fully Loaded," which starred Lindsay Lohan.
2. The Gadgetmobile
Inspector Gadget's ride from the 1980s cartoon series got an update for the live-action film version starring Matthew Broderick in 1999. While the Gadgetmobile in the cartoon, which had the voice of Don Adams as the title character, was a sedan that could change into a sports car, it became a "robot life form" with a face, a voice and a personality in the live-action movie, according to Geekscape.
3. Mr. Incredible's Supercar
It didn't have a name and it's only featured in a short part of the film, but Bob Parr sure had a sweet ride when he was in disguise as Mr. Incredible back in the glory days of the superheroes in this particular Pixar universe. Years before Google's self-driving car, "The Incredibles" featured a smooth super vehicle with the ultimate auto-pilot system, capable of taking over for Bob when he has to quick-change into Mr. Incredible. Just what your neighborhood superhero needs.
4. Cast of "Cars"
The world of "Cars" is a bit puzzling since it doesn't seem to have any people, so let's hope this isn't a depiction of a dystopian future where humans are extinct. But Lightning McQueen, Doc, Sally and Mater all definitely drive themselves, so maybe "Cars" is a hint at our future after all.
5. Benny
"Who Framed Roger Rabbit" won three Academy Awards in 1989 for film editing, sound effects editing and visual effects, while Richard Williams earned a Special Achievement Award for his work creating the cartoon characters.
The crime comedy mixes live action and cartoon effects as a detective teams up with a cartoon rabbit to prove that the latter didn't commit murder. Built in 1910, Benny is the talking taxicab that knows the city and can appear immediately whenever you need a ride.
6. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
One of the final decadent Old Hollywood-style musicals, 1968's "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" deviates rather generously from the children's novel on which it's based but is still good family fun. After being overhauled by the lovably eccentric inventor Caractacus Potts (Dick Van Dyke), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang takes on a life of its own, carrying the Potts family to the fictional kingdom of Vulgaria.
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