Companies from Silicon Valley to Detroit to Germany are developing cars that park, steer and even drive themselves. Now the federal agency for traffic safety has said it wants to come along for the ride.  http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/31/technology/self-driving-cars-for-testing-are-supported-by-us.html?hp “We want to have some experimentation in the states to see what works, but it’s nice to have federal experts helping out, as long as they don’t take it too far,” Many Americans are dubious about automated driving, according to a poll by the Auto Alliance, a Washington trade group that represents 12 of the largest carmakers selling vehicles in the United States. Yet most people will have the option of buying a car that is part robot in some sense next time they visit a dealership. Vehicles ranging from German luxury cars to mass-market American sedans are now equipped with automated safety systems, which rely on computer processors, software and sensors. Google has gone the furthest, equipping Lexuses and Toyota Priuses with technology that drives the car without human intervention.