self-driving

American

[self-drahy-ving] / ˈsɛlfˈdraɪ vɪŋ /

adjective

(of a machine) operating without the guidance of a human.
(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.

Cybercab -- billed as a self-driving robotaxi without a steering wheel or pedals -- was unveiled in the fall of 2024, with Musk predicting at the time that it would become available in 2027.

From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026

Some of the chips will go into Tesla’s self-driving cars.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

U.S. customers aren’t the only ones upset by the gap between Tesla’s promises on self-driving and the reality.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 23, 2026

Uber, Lucid, and Nuro announced a self-driving partnership in July 2025.

From Barron's • Apr. 20, 2026

Then in 2016, Tesla announced that all new cars built from then on had the hardware required for full self-driving.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023