Google's self-driving car has been announced as the winner of the Design Museum's Design of the Year transport award.
Designed by YooJung Ahn, Jared Gross and Philipp Haban, the bug-like vehicle drives at the push of a button and has no steering wheel or pedals. It has only just this week been given permission to drive on public roads in California. "As a precursor to a real revolution in personal transport, the Google car brings together various autonomous technologies for the first time. The potential for a product like this to change the way society thinks about the car, its use and ownership, is huge. Google have taken a very bold step entering and leading the debate, and this is to be roundly applauded," said judge Richard Woolley, who is studio director of Land Rover's Design and Research Special Vehicle Operations.
Winner in the product category this year was the human organ-on-chips, put together by scientists from Wyss Institute and Harvard University. Crafted from living cells, the chips are designed to accelerate drug discovery and advance personalised medicine.
Other winners include the UC Innovations Centre, a digital project designed to raise awareness about the problem of plastics in the oceans, the Thomas Tait AW13/14 fashion line and Inglorious Fruit and Vegetables, an ad campaign celebrating the beauty of imperfect fruit and veg.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
