[villagetinker]

There are many problems that need to be solved with 'self driving' cars, for example:
Hand signals from a police officer
What to do when traffic lights are out or not fully operational
Incomplete of faded lane markings
Other cars on the road that are NOT automated, how will the self driving car handle the quirks of human drivers?
Snow, and other phenomenon that interfere with road markings, traction, etc.
Step 5 requires that ALL of the other vehicles be in communication with all of the other cars in the vicinity

IMHO, cars with various safety features are a good idea, self driving will only be practical in very limited and carefully controlled circumstances.

As for the last question, I do not expect to see a real self driving car in my lifetime.