self-driving
Americanadjective
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(of a machine) operating without the guidance of a human.
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(of a vehicle) navigated and maneuvered by a computer without a need for human control or intervention under a range of driving situations and conditions.
self-driving cars.
Etymology
Origin of self-driving
First recorded in 1830–40
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Generation Z may be the first generation not to own cars, thanks to Uber and self-driving vehicles, and will turn their garages into man caves or influencer studios.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 21, 2026
Communities in California and beyond are gradually warming up to self-driving cars with the arrival of Waymo and Zoox robotaxis.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 21, 2026
The company employs self-driving Model Y SUVs in each of those cities in Texas, some of which are unsupervised.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 18, 2026
There are endless so-called edge cases—unusual situations—that could trip up self-driving cars.
From Barron's • Jun. 18, 2026
The government has recently announced substantial investments of public money in energy software company Kraken, self-driving firm Wayve and a UK tech focused investment fund Playground Global.
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
