These autos will make commuting a breeze.

• Position: Smart Cars

Certain technologies go from being almost unimaginable to commonplace in what seems like the blink of an eye. For instance, it was a relatively short time between when microwave ovens were introduced and when they became a standard appliance. Similar changes were brought about by the introduction of refrigerators, televisions, cell phones, and personal computers.

One of the next technologies that is likely to have similarly large and unforeseen effects is self-driving, or autonomous, cars. When it comes to driverless cars, the question no longer is if, but when.

How will autonomous cars change our lives? For one thing, people who are not currently independently mobile will be able to "drive," says Peter Stone, professor of computer science at the University of Texas, Austin. "The elderly and the vision-impaired will have increased independence when it comes to transportation, as will children. I'm sure that more than one parent will relish the thought of the children getting to soccer practice on their own.

"However, there are more far-reaching effects that may emerge, and road project managers and policymakers would be wise to take notice. At intersections, driverless cars may be able to coordinate so finely with one another that cars barely need to decelerate when approaching an intersection, and seldom, if ever, need to stop.

"The direction of...