Today, the unmanned vehicles circulating on American highways and side streets are a fraction of what executives promised in the giddy early days of the technology’s development.

But when will drivers be able to safely take their hands and eyes off the road? Industry experts say that is coming soon.

After many false starts, abandoned investment and embarrassing setbacks, driverless vehicle technology is careening ahead at the fastest clip yet.

Driverless semitrucks have traveled more than 1,000 miles hauling cargo between Dallas and Houston in Texas, with projections for rapid growth over the next decade.

Airline passengers who summon a Waymo from Sky Harbor in Phoenix don’t have to worry about making small talk or leaving a tip. Soon, the same could be said of Detroit, which Waymo sai

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