Driverless shuttles make their debut

SAN RAMON, California - Shuttle buses that make steering wheels, accelerators, brake pads - and even human drivers - obsolete made their debut recently at an East Bay business park.

The futuristic cubes - a variation on driverless cars that are the first of their kind in the United States - get around using 21st century technology, including lasers on all four corners, GPS navigation, and sensors that detect obstacles.

And the sensors work. At least they did during a demonstration at Bishop Ranch business park in San Ramon when Habib Shamskhou, who is working with the pilot program, stepped in front of a moving shuttle to prove a point.