Aug 28, 2017 · Photo of human-driven car by Mick TinKingclimaen on Unsplash.) Once a self-driving car “sees” its surroundings, the cameras, LIDARs and radars all send the information they perceive to the “brain” of the car. The “brain” of a self-driving car is a powerful computer that often sits in the trunk and controls the car’s thoughts and actions.