Is Google wasting its time with self-driving cars?

I was inclined to say "yes" but then again, $10M and 15 engineers is peanuts for Google; just the publicity Google being the source of innovation and cool may be worth close to that amount.

Google is standing on the shoulders of other efforts in this case, e.g. DARPA Challenge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DARPA_Grand_Challenge).

I think google is trying to make itself into an organization similar to Bell Labs in its heyday. Bell labs had a lot of research going that was only peripherally important to phones.

"and meanwhile Google has more immediate problems." I think they have more opportunities than problems!

Streetview wouldn't benefit from some self-driven cars?