Self-driving cars are a rapidly evolving technology which only a few years ago was still considered science fiction. In such a dynamic context, quick intuitions can be very misleading and misconceptions about the technology, its impact, and the nature of the innovation process abound. In a short article we examine the following four misconceptions:

1. Driver assistance systems will evolve gradually into fully autonomous cars
2. The first models of fully autonomous cars will be targeted to the consumer and will be available for purchase
3. It will take decades until most of the vehicles on the road are capable of autonomous driving
4. Self-driving cars are controlled by classical computer algorithms (if-then rules)