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California Prepares for Truly Driverless Car Testing
By the end of 2017, California says it will begin allowing developers of self-driving vehicles to test their cars on public roads without a human backup driver on board.
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By the end of 2017, California says it will begin allowing developers of self-driving vehicles to test their cars on public roads without a human backup driver on board.
The state says companies also will be able to do the same with vehicles that aren’t equipped with steering wheels or brake and accelerator pedals.
The state's Dept. of Motor Vehicles has granted test licenses to 27 companies to date. But those permits require a human test driver to be on board and ready to take control.
The new rules would stipulate that driverless test vehicles be monitored remotely. Manufacturers also must certify that their self-driving test cars can operate safety without manual control backup. It isn’t clear how the certification process would work.
DMV says the proposed new rule anticipates a future state law that will permit the retail sale of fully autonomous vehicles. Several carmakers say they hope to begin by about 2020 to sell vehicles in the U.S. that can drive themselves under most conditions.
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