Some may have expressed skepticism at Google's famously outspoken Eric Schmidt earlier this year when he predicted that self-driving cars would become the "predominant mode of transportation in our lifetime." But now it appears such a reality is closer than any of us imagined.

The bill (SB 1298) to legalize self-driving cars in California has been passed by the state Assembly and Senate and now only needs the signature of the governor to become law, thus paving the way for a fleet of robot vehicles to take to the streets. If and when the law is passed, the state's Department of Motor Vehicles would set about creating a new set of guidelines for the vehicles that would go into effect by 2015. Although the cars would indeed drive themselves, the law would still require a human to sit behind the wheel in case of emergency.

Earlier this year Nevada became the first state to legalize self-driving cars. If current trends are any indication, the days of piloting yourself to work could be numbered.

Via Mercury News