A Virginia Driver Dresses Like a Car Seat to Give the Brilliant Illusion of a Self-Driving Van
This is one of the strangest things I've ever seen @nbcwashington @ARLnowDOTcom pic.twitter.com/8ipKEnkeiq
- Adam Tuss (@AdamTuss) August 7, 2017
While out driving in the Washington, D.C. area, NBC News Transportation Reporter/Anchor Adam Tuss saw what he thought was a self-driving van. Tuss got out of his car to investigate. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that the seat had hands and feet. The illusion was brilliant, but when Tuss approached him, the seat didn't feel like talking and drove away without comment.
Here's me trying to talk to a man in a car seat costume @nbcwashington pic.twitter.com/e5humOM7uS
- Adam Tuss (@AdamTuss) August 7, 2017
Alert!!! We found the supposed self driving van in Arlington - and there's a guy hiding behind the seat!!! @nbcwashington pic.twitter.com/EeI7rhQi1R
- Adam Tuss (@AdamTuss) August 7, 2017
NBC News looked into it, and it turns out that the driver was on a mission.
After multiple inquiries by News4, the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute said Monday afternoon that the van and van driver are part of a study they are conducting on driverless cars. The worker was wearing the uniform he was supposed to wear.