SELF-STEERING cars may be a possibility in the future, if current trials prove successful.

Parodia Electronica, a Milan-based company, has developed software which uses commands from a car’s navigation system to actuate an electro-hydraulic steering mechanism, in the manner of a yacht auto-pilot.

The new software has been installed in a number of test vehicles, which are currently undergoing trials in southern Italy.

The satellite navigation systems of the test cars have been upgraded to respond to location data generated by differential GPS (dGPS).

dGPS uses ground-based trigonometrical ‘fixes’ to enhance the plotting capabilities of regular satellite tracking.

The accuracy of dGPS means that, on any stretch of road within the test locality, the position of the test vehicles can be determined to within plus or minus 50 centimetres.

The vehicles are able to navigate on public roads between a number of fixed points without receiving any steering input from the driver, who controls only the brake and accelerator pedals.

Pesce d'Aprile, Parodia's technical director, said: "The steering wheels are for show only. It might prove disconcerting to other road users if they were to see a car approaching in which, for example, the driver had his arms folded.

"Instead the driver simulates steering action in the manner of a toy car on a kiddies’ merry-go-round."

The steering wheel has been retained also to enable the driver to deal with unforeseen circumstances. By pressing a floor-mounted, foot-operated switch, the driver can instantly re-engage the steering mechanism.