driverless

American  

[drahy-ver-lis] / ˈdraɪ vər lɪs /

adjective

1. 1. not having a human driver in control.

      The horse became startled and the now driverless horse-drawn carriage ran into a car.

   2. without a human operator.

      driverless machinery.

2. (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.

   a driverless car.

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Etymology

Origin of driverless

First recorded in 1840–1850

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Explanation

If you spot a car cruising down the road without a human at the wheel, don’t worry — it's not a ghost driving, it's probably just a driverless vehicle. The word driverless means exactly what it sounds like: a vehicle with no one driving it. The word combines driver, someone who drives or controls movement, with the suffix -less, which means "without." Driverless vehicles use technology like sensors and computers to "see" the road and make decisions without a person behind the wheel.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

driverless

Riders can now travel to Torrance, El Segundo, and Manhattan Beach in a Waymo driverless taxi, but they still won’t be able to call a ride to or from Los Angeles International Airport.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026

Last month, he had to wait an hour for his turn as driverless Waymos filled up.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026

If a driverless car breaks the law, who is responsible?

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026

Right now, a typical driverless truck run is best suited for the middle-mile.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026

King Yudhishthira the just, steedless and driverless, looked like a blazing fire in consequence of the wrath with which he was then excited.

From The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3 Books 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 by Kisari Mohan Ganguli

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