California has approved broad new rules allowing driverless cars that do not require a human operator to sit behind the wheel, in a long awaited win for Silicon Valley lobbyists. On Monday the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles was given the green light to allow car manufacturers and tech companies to test and deploy autonomous vehicles without a “natural person” inside the car. Until now, a human had always been present to take over in the event of emergency, a requirement that pushed some Silicon Valley companies to start testing outside their home state.
“This is a major step forward for autonomous technology in California,” said Jean Shiomoto, director of the California DMV. However, some safety campaigners opposing the new scheme argue it could turn California’s roads into a potentially lethal “video game”. The new rules have been in development for more than three years and have been eagerly anticipated by Silicon Valley, where the law has often been seen as holding back technological innovation.
Fifty companies, including Alphabet, Uber, Apple, GM, Ford and Toyota are already testing self-driving cars in California. If manufacturers can show the DMV that their technology is safe and resilient to cyber attacks, local residents could be taking rides in driverless vehicles within a few months. The DMV can start issuing the permits from April 2, even as proposed federal rules governing autonomous vehicles remain stalled in Washington. For the first time in Silicon Valley neighbourhoods, vehicle designers will be able to deploy cars without a steering wheel, brake or accelerator pedal, as long as they can demonstrate compliance with safety standards.