Are you afraid of the dark? Ford's robot car isn't.

The primary value proposition for autonomous vehicles -- aside from enabling people to realize their greatest "Jetsons"-inspired fantasies -- lies in the safety implications of the technology. The operating theory is that by replacing human drivers, autonomous technology will drastically reduce vehicular injuries and fatalities. But to do that, autonomous vehicles have to drive better than humans in all situations. Four months ago, Ford was the first to begin testing its cars on snow-covered roads and begin training its systems to drive as well as an "expert highly trained driver" would under those conditions. Now, after a series of tests in Arizona, Ford can say its research vehicle can drive better than a human in complete darkness.