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California cops pull over Google car for driving too SLOWLY

CHiPs, meet chips

Google is very proud of its perfect safety record when it comes to automated vehicles, but that didn't stop one of its jelly-mold cars getting pulled over on Thursday.

Police pull over Google car

License and product key please

"A Mountain View Police Department traffic officer noticed traffic backing up behind a slow moving car traveling in the eastbound #3 lane on El Camino Real, near Rengstorff Ave. The car was traveling at 24 mph in a 35 mph zone," the police report states.

"As the officer approached the slow moving car he realized it was a Google Autonomous Vehicle. The officer stopped the car and made contact with the operators to learn more about how the car was choosing speeds along certain roadways and to educate the operators about impeding traffic per 22400(a) of the California Vehicle Code."

The car in question carried human drivers, in line with California law, and is one of Google's experimental cars that is designed to be used without a steering wheel or pedals, although they carry them for the moment.

"Driving too slowly? Bet humans don't get pulled over for that too often," Google said. "We've capped the speed of our prototype vehicles at 25mph for safety reasons. We want them to feel friendly and approachable, rather than zooming scarily through neighborhood streets."

While the police declined to give a ticket this time, we're willing to bet there are a ton of Mountain View drivers who dread seeing one of these cars. There are few things on the road as frustrating as someone who decides to lead a parade when you're in a hurry. ®

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