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.
Under Cook, Apple spent billions of dollars on a self-driving electric vehicle project it wound up scrapping in 2024.
From Barron's • Apr. 20, 2026
LoSavio alleges that Musk and Tesla have made repeated claims that were false about the self-driving capabilities of these vehicles and misled consumers who paid extra because they believed the company’s marketing.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026
Grab this year started rolling out a small fleet of self-driving cars in partnership with Chinese firm WeRide in Singapore.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
The companies announced a program that will use Waymo’s self-driving cars to better detect potholes in the city.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026
In a first for Europe, the Netherlands is poised to allow Tesla owners to use their car's self-driving feature -- as long as they are in the vehicle and keeping a watchful eye over it.
From Barron's • Apr. 11, 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.
