Ohio State is making driverless cars smarter

Why it matters: An increasing number of drivers are afraid of self-driving cars, while carmakers are pushing to add more automated features in newer models, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick reports.

How it works: OSU's software immerses the car in a virtual environment by telling it what the road looks like and what cars, pedestrians and potential hazards are nearby so it can maneuver accordingly.

• Imagine giving a car a virtual reality gaming headset.

What they found: A recent study found the technique can help the car learn to avoid collisions, increase pedestrian safety and react to extreme traffic events, like a person jumping in its path.

• OSU's Automated Driving Lab is seeking a patent for the technology.

The bottom line: "This ability saves time, money, and there is no risk of fatal traffic accidents," lab co-director Bilin Aksun-Güvenç, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, said in a statement.

Go deeper: How autonomous vehicles "see" the world around them