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Self-driving 'taxibots' to replace cars?

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<b>FUTURE SELF-DRIVING CAR:</b> Nasa tests its new battery-powered Modular Robotic Vehicle. <i>Image: Nasa</i>
<b>FUTURE SELF-DRIVING CAR:</b> Nasa tests its new battery-powered Modular Robotic Vehicle. <i>Image: Nasa</i>

BERLIN, Germany - Transportation experts say car-congested cities could become a thing of the past, provided people are prepared to ride-share with a robot driver.

A study published Thursday (April 23) by the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development suggests that widespread use of "taxibots" could cut by 90% the number of cars needed to perform the same number of journeys per day.

Researchers used data from Lisbon, Portugal, to simulate how such self-driving, communal cabs would affect traffic. Even with only one passenger per ride and no complementary public transport, the number of cars still dropped by 77%.

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