One of the most exciting inventions that have risen from the world of artificial intelligence (AI) is the world of self-driving cars. We are slowly inching towards being able to use fully autonomous vehicles (AVs) which will mark a new notch in the advancement of automobile technology and artificial intelligence. As if leaping straight out of a sci-fi movie, self-driving cars are slowly building trust among users. Here are the top 5 companies paving the way for autonomous cars:

Waymo
Alphabet Inc. has a unit for building self-driving cars known as Waymo which is currently in operation only in Phoenix, Arizona. Alphabet Inc. is a Google skunkworks project which was introduced over a decade ago and Waymo is currently testing several driverless prototypes in Phoenix where you can sign up for rides in self-driving cars. Additionally, Waymo has begun testing in Michigan and California to study and analyze these prototypes in different weather conditions.

Cruise
General Motors’ Cruise, also known as GM Cruise, is testing several hundred autonomous cars that look like standard Chevrolet Bolt hatchbacks. These self-driving cars are being manufactured using assembly lines in Orion, Michigan due to which, GM Cruise is capable of manufacturing thousands of cars a year. It is now bracing itself to release an autonomous ride-hailing service in San Francisco which was supposed to have its launch in 2019 but is facing some delays.

Tesla
One of the most popular cars running on artificial intelligence technology, Elon Musk’s Tesla has been impressing the markets for quite a while now. These cars are comparatively more advanced in terms of technology and production value than any other manufacturer and making use of ultrasonic, radar, and 2D camera devices instead of the popular light detection and ranging (LiDAR) navigation technology for carrying out autonomous operations.

Argo AI
Automotive giants Volkswagen and Ford joined forces to create Argo AI, which has become a powerful and independent entity in the manufacturing of powerful autonomous vehicles. So far, the company is already testing a hundred vehicles, mostly Ford Fusions, in half a dozen cities in the country. These self-driving testing programs are active in Miami, Washington, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Austin, Texas, and Palo Alto so far.

Baidu
This brand is already taking big leaps by collaborating with manufacturers like FAW Group, BAIC, King Long Motor Group, JAC Motor, and NIO. It began by running a 45-car autonomous taxi service in Changsha in China’s Hunan Province with a driverless unit set to be released in 2025. It currently has about 300 test-vehicles in 23 cities of China which have covered a distance of over 3 million kilometers (1.8 million miles) by driving and providing taxi services.