Google has been working on self-driving cars for three years, and has finally reached the point where a working prototype is available for developers and manufacturers.

However, even with all of the research and development, Google does not want to become a car manufacturer. Instead, similar to Android, it will offer the software to partners.

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The prototype is a selling point for Google, showing how advanced its self-driving experience is for potential customers. Partners are already invested in Google's Open Automotive Alliance, but so far no car manufacturer has announced work on a self-driving vehicle.

Google is confident that self-driving cars will take off in 2015, having already receivied the go-ahead from California. Other U.S. states should follow suit in 2015, alongside the mainstream acceptance of drones.

"We've been working on different prototypes-of-prototypes, each designed to test different systems of a self-driving car," Google said in a Google+ blog post. " or example, the typical 'car' parts like steering and braking, as well as the 'self-driving' parts like the computer and sensors. We've now put all those systems together in this fully functional vehicle-our first complete prototype for fully autonomous driving."

There has been some hostility toward self-driving cars, including the moral conflict of leaving decisions on the road to a car. Google is actively working to make sure all decisions that need to be made on the road are inside the car system.

Even Tesla's CEO Elon Musk says a full automated system is "not what customers want," when asked if Tesla would work with Google on a self-driving car.

Considering self-driving cars are still banned in most countries, it may be hard for Google to interest car manufacturers, since the only current market available is California.

It may take another five years before Google's self-driving car partners are actively developing for the rest of the world, meaning mainstream self-driving cars may not be available for most until the next decade.

TagsSelf-Driving Car, automation, cars