so porsche is testing the next iteration of "smart" cars driving themselves.
maybe you've seen the VW smart drive (temporary auto pilot) where the car takes over and keeps you a safe distance from the car in front of you and away from the sides of the road...
porsche is apparently testing the next version of this, which they're calling InnoDrive.
in essence, the car maps out the route and takes into consideration things such as elevation changes, curve radii, traffic congestion, etc. and optimizes gas usage, gear changes, braking, etc. all leading to decreased gas consumption and emissions. (of course you have to keep your feet off the pedals).
porsche promises that it won't mess with the steering - that's still under your control, but the engine is in the control of the computer...
http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/28/2014-porsche-acc-innodrive-tested-hello-big-brother/
i wonder how long it will be before they test it on the tail of the dragon...