Driverless Google Car Takes Councilmembers for a Spin

Google's new driverless car took to the road Thursday downtown with Councilmembers Mary Cheh and Tommy Wells each taking a turn behind the wheel.

The Google car, which uses data collected through Google's street view map network, video cameras, a rooftop sensor and artifical intelligence software to navigate, is not yet legal in D.C. But the Department of Motor Vehicles gave a special permission for the Thursday test-drive.

The car does have options for a driver to take control by stepping on the brake or turning the wheel.

Just last week Google's blue Toyota Prius, tagged with California license plates, was .

The Nevada state legislature was the first in the country to permit testing of driverless cars, according to a press release from Cheh's office.