Regulators in California have announced a selection of revised rules which will allow self-driving cars to travel throughout the state without human drivers.
The state says the new rules will take effect by June 2018 and streamline the requirements for automakers and technology companies to test their self-driving technologies in the state.
There are currently more than 40 companies testing self-driving vehicles in California with human controls, including automakers such as Ford, Tesla, General Motors, and tech firms including Alphabet, Apple and Samsung.
The new California regulations will also require companies to record information from all autonomous sensors in the 30 seconds leading up to a collision. Additionally, vehicles without human drivers must follow all road rules “except when necessary for the safety of the vehicle’s occupants.”
Although car manufacturers and tech companies will be pleased with the more relaxed laws, the Association of Global Automakers told Reuters that California’s regulations are still too strict.
“A special permit is still required to deploy, creating regulatory uncertainty and raising concerns about the ability of autonomous vehicles to cross state lines.”
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