What might driving on an automated highway be like? The answerdepends on what kind of system is ultimately adopted. Two distinctive 1types are on the drawing board. The first is a special-purpose lane system,which certain lanes are reserved for automated vehicles. The second is a 2mixed traffic system; fully automated vehicles would share the road withparticularly automated or manually driving cars. A special-purpose lane 3system would require more expensive physical modifications to existinghighways, and it promises the greatest gains in freeway capacity. 4 Under either schemes, the driver would specify the desired, 5destination furnishing it to a computer in the car in the beginning ofthe trip. If a mixed traffic system was in the place, automated driving 6could begin whenever the driver was on suitably equipped roads. Whenever special-purpose lanes were available, the car could join 7existing traffic in two different ways. One method would use a special onramp. As the driver approached the point of entry for the highway, devices installed on the roadside would electronically check the vehicle todetermine their destination and to ascertain that it had the proper 8automation equipment in good working order. Either approach would harmonize the movement of new entering 9vehicles with those already traveling. Automatic control here shouldallow smooth merging. And once a vehicle had settled into automated 10travel, the driver would be free to release the wheel, open the morning paper or just relax.