california-approves-autonomous-self-driving-car-trials-1

For the first time autonomous self-driving car trials are allowed on public roads, with no steering wheels.

Jerry Brown Governor of California just signed a bill that for the first time allows testing on public roads self-driving car with no human driver as backup. The vehicles will be limited to maximum speeds 35 mph.

The bill would require the authority or a private entity, or a combination of the 2, to obtain an instrument of insurance, surety bond, or proof of self-insurance in an amount of $5,000,000 prior to the start of testing of any autonomous vehicle on or across a public road and would require evidence of the insurance, surety bond, or proof of self-insurance to be provided to the Department of Motor Vehicles in the form and manner required by the department.

RW Baird analyst Colin Sebastian, said:

“Any governmental body endorsing fully autonomous driving or testing of fully autonomous driving is a step in the direction that could be favorable for Google. There’s a lot of debate around whether fully autonomous is the right step in the near term versus that more incremental approach.”

via engadget

Source California Legislative Information