self-driven

American  

[self-driv-uhn, self-] / ˌsɛlfˈdrɪv ən, ˈsɛlf- /

adjective

1. (of a machine) containing its own power source, as an engine or motor.

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Etymology

Origin of self-driven

First recorded in 1780–90

Example Sentences

Waymo, the largest purveyor of self-driven transport, says on its website that its robotaxis are “the embodiment of fully autonomous technology that is always in control from pickup to destination.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 6, 2026

As Aseema Sinha, author of Globalizing India: How Global Rules and Markets are Shaping India's Rise to Power, observed, this period was marked by "a self-driven industrialisation drive, export pessimism, and suspicion of global alliances".

From BBC • Feb. 4, 2025

Llewellyn said Killough-Wilhelm is one of the most motivated, self-driven gymnasts she’d ever met, fueled by a “pure passion” for the sport.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 7, 2024

We will see whether Mälkki’s stature, after Helsinki, translates to a new music directorship or a more self-driven freelance career.

From New York Times • May 10, 2023

He can readily remove the pain he has carelessly caused; but rasp and file can never dull those self-driven points which rankle in our tortured flesh, each onward step forcing them deeper and deeper in.

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 16, No. 95, September 1865 by Various