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driverless

driverless

1 4.8
A vehicle that moves without a person controlling it, like a car or bus
  • adjective
  • /ˈdraɪvərləs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : autónomo
  • Many experts believe that driverless vehicles will reduce accidents caused by human error.
  • driverless car
  • driverless taxi service
  • driverless vehicle

I'm sorry, Jeff Brands says unlike California, we in Florida welcome driverless cars.

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Examples

  • As technology advances, more cities will implement driverless public transportation systems.

  • It's being used to train driverless cars.

  • This is the moment for driverless cars, right?

  • Imagine that a driverless car can drive without passengers.

  • There it is, the Waymo driverless car.

  • Bizarre encounter between police and a driverless car has gone viral on social media.

  • For example, a person unable to drive because of age-related infirmities can remain mobile over long distances in a driverless vehicle.

    Academic text (2012)
  • The new driverless car navigated through traffic without any human input.

Synonyms

pilotless
vsdriverless
  • Specialized
2 6.5

A vehicle with no person on board to control it, like a plane or spaceship

is for vehicles that move without a human present to control them
riderless
vsdriverless
1 4.6

An animal or vehicle that has no person on it

applies to vehicles that move without a human present to control them
manless
vsdriverless
  • Specialized
6.1

Working without people on board and controlled from far away

focuses on vehicles moving with no human present to control them rather than no inhabitants

How Autonomous

driverless
  • Specialized
1 4.8
automatic drive
  • Specialized
4.1

Surface Forms

driverless positive

Morphology

driverless = driver (transparent) = driver + less

Standard derivation: 'driver' (a human operator) + '-less' = 'without a human driver' which is directly comprehensible.

Etymology

Driverless is made of driver ('a person who drives') and -less meaning 'without', the same -less you see in careless. So a driverless car or bus moves 'without' a human driver because it controls itself.