Imagine you're driving down the highway, when you pass a column of cars cruising in tandem. You notice with awe that the steering wheel in each car moves autonomously while the drivers eat, read and get ready for work--some drivers even appear to be sleeping! If this sounds too good to be true, you're in for another shock: you've just received a sneak peek at 2021.

Testing of this so-called "road train" system is already underway in Europe, where the European Commission-backed Safe Road Trains for the Environment (SARTRE) program has partnered with companies like Volvo Car Corporation to develop technology that will make driving safer, easier and more efficient.