If you are around my age, you might remember Johnny Cab, the robotaxi from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s film Total Recall. The vehicle carried passengers without a human driver and relied on an onboard robotic system to handle the trip. At the time it looked like a piece of science fiction.

What stood out in that scene was not only the absence of a human driver but the possibility that the steering wheel might no longer be necessary.

The steering wheel has defined the automobile for more than a century. Drivers sit behind it and use it to guide the vehicle along the road.

That familiar object may not remain part of future vehicles.

Several companies now experiment with vehicles that do not include a steering wheel. These vehicles rely on autonomous systems that control direction and speed without human input.

Tesla presented a concept vehicle called the Cybercab that removes both the wheel and the pedals. The vehicle is intended for a robotaxi service. Passengers choose a destination and allow the system to complete the trip.

Waymo has tested autonomous ride services in several American cities where passengers sit inside while the vehicle travels through traffic without a human driver.

When engineers remove the steering wheel, they must reconsider how the interior of a car works. That arrangement changes once a vehicle no longer requires someone to drive it.

Design changes represent only one part of the challenge. Traffic laws assume that a person operates the vehicle.

Police officers, or in our case, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) personnel and traffic enforcers, expect a driver who can answer questions during an incident. Insurance policies assign responsibility to the person behind the wheel.

A vehicle that drives itself complicates those expectations.

Autonomous systems depend on sensors and computing power to understand the road. Cameras and radar monitor the surroundings, and software evaluates that information to determine how the vehicle should respond.

Supporters believe automation could reduce accidents linked to human behavior. Many crashes involve distraction or fatigue. Technology does not experience those conditions.

Critics remain cautious because real streets present situations that engineers cannot fully predict. A motorcycle may appear beside the car. A pedestrian may step into the lane without warning.