California is getting ready to legalise autonomous cars that don't have drivers with the release of proposed regulations to establish a path for testing and future deployment of such vehicles.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) says the proposed regulations address public safety concerns while recognising the potential of autonomous technology to improve safety, enhance mobility and encourage innovation.
The regulations cover a range autonomous vehicle deployment issues, including driver licensing and responsibility, vehicle registration, and advertising of autonomous vehicles.
“California has more manufacturers testing autonomous vehicles than any other state and today’s rules continue our leadership with this emerging technology,” said California Transportation Agency Secretary Brian Kelly.
“These rules protect public safety, promote innovation and lay out the path for future testing and deployment of driverless technology. This rulemaking is the next step in working with stakeholders to get this right.”
The DMV released draft regulations for testing without a driver and the deployment of autonomous vehicles last year. It then received substantial feedback from manufacturers, consumer advocates, local government, insurance companies, and other stakeholders.
“These rules expand our existing autonomous vehicle testing program to include testing vehicles where no driver is present,” said DMV Director Jean Shiomoto. “This is the next step in eventually allowing driverless autonomous vehicles on California roadways.”
There are 27 entities currently licensed to test autonomous vehicles in California including major car manufacturers such as BMW, Ford, GM, Honda, Mercedes, Nissan, Subaru and Volkswagen, other companies with a high profile in the autonomous vehicle space such as Google, Tesla and Bosch, and a number of other companies including Chinese internet giant Baidu, and the somewhat mysterious Zoox headed by an expat Australian.
[Evolution of the Google car, the Waymo prototype. Photo: Waymo]