Autonomous car technology has been a much watched technology over the past year as several companies vied to become the first firm to release a driverless car. While cars that can operate without a human at the controls are still a part of the very distant future, driverless car technology is expected to make major advances in the coming year, something many investors are hoping to get a piece of.

(NASDAQ:

) One of the most obvious choices for investing in driverless car technology is Tesla Motors, which has led the charge in 2015 with several self-driving features for its Model S Sedan. While the company's system allows for some autonomous features, the majority are only available for limited highway driving.

In 2016, other car makers like

(OTC:

) and

(NYSE:

) are

their own autonomous features similar to those that Tesla offers. Volkswagen is expected to roll out a "Piloted Driving" system for its Audi cars in the coming year and General Motors has been working on a "Super Cruise" system that will be available on its latest Cadillac CT6 sedan.

2016 may not be the year that fully autonomous cars hit the roads, but many believe that such a day will eventually come. For investors looking to get in on the ground level,

(NASDAQ:

) is a good option. Google's parent firm isn't an automobile company, but the company has been

self driving cars for years and its first prototypes are already being tested on public roads. The company says it expects its fully autonomous cars to become available in 2020. Firms that make the parts necessary for self-driving systems are also a good bet;

(NYSE:

) has become a popular supplier for firms implementing autonomous systems and

(NYSE:

), a camera technology firm, has been working to create comprehensive systems that allow vehicles to see and detect obstacles in the road.