California to Allow Fully Autonomous Testing in Select Areas

California’s Dept. of Motor Vehicles late last week announced revisions to draft regulations that will allow companies to test self-driving vehicles at two sites without requiring a human backup driver and traditional controls onboard.  

Previous versions of the rules required a self-driving vehicle to have a steering wheel, foot pedals and a licensed driver to be present and ready to take control if necessary. Public hearings for the amended legislation are scheduled to be held Oct. 19 in Sacramento.

The new proposal would limit fully autonomous tests without backup drivers to two Contra Costa Transportation Authority facilities in California: the GoMentum site in Concord and the Bishop Ranch business park in San Ramon. Autonomous vehicles with backup drivers already are being tested in both locations.

The California test vehicles would have to meet new requirements announced last month by the U.S. Dept. of Transportation. The 15-point standards cover everything from design and development to testing and deployment. California also would require such vehicles to carry at least $5 million in insurance.