Now, automated cars are being tested on roads. With companies from Google to Volvo putting large quantities of money into the technology, if it is to become legal, the thought of a commute without a packed train or having to concentrate on driving is an exciting one.
And with an estimated 90% of current car accidents thought to be caused by human error, taking people out of the equation is seen by many car companies as a massive boost to safety.
Less of a quick move towards wide adoption was high-paced mobile internet in the UK. 4G was going to be a thing that made it quicker to access the web from a mobile signal than it would be by wired broadband.
But at the end of the year, only urban areas currently have access to the signal and even then, an early large-scale test of the network indicated that less than half of Manchester city centre could use its high speeds. According to the study, outside the city centre there was no 4G coverage at all.
Everything Everywhere, the UK's only 4G operator, has promised 98% coverage by the end of 2014 but for the moment, quick mobile internet for everyone seems to still be a little way away.
It was rejected by the Constitutional Council on Saturday because, unlike other forms of income tax, it was to be applied to individuals rather than households.
Much of the research on health recommendations comes from the American College of Sports Medicine, which has been studying levels of public fitness since the 1950s.