'self-driving' originates from the combination of 'self' and 'drive,' where 'self' refers to the individual or itself, and 'drive' means to operate or control a vehicle.

'self-driving' evolved from the concept of 'self-operating' machines and eventually became associated with vehicles capable of autonomous operation.

Initially, it referred to any machine that could operate independently, but over time it evolved to specifically refer to vehicles that can drive themselves.