Self-driving cars making their way to California roads

By Associated Press, adapted by Newsela staff

Published:03/05/2018

LOS ANGELES, California — Driverless cars can now be tested in California without a person behind a steering wheel. State lawmakers approved the new rules on February 26.

The new rules are a major step for self-driving vehicles in California. These cars are now one step closer to being on the roads of California.

California Companies Lead The Way

Tesla and Waymo are companies leading the way in self-driving cars. They are both based in California. Until now, driverless cars could only be tested on public roads in the state if a person could take the wheel in an emergency.

Nidhi Kalra is a scientist who has been studying the issue for a decade. "I think this is a move that had to happen for California to stay competitive in this field," she said. Without the ability to test the vehicles in-state, California would have fallen behind despite the fact that the technology is being developed in California.

Companies such as Waymo have been testing their cars in other neighboring states like Arizona. They do that to work around the previous driver testing regulations, Kalra said.

"You can't test what true, full autonomy looks like" unless there's no driver at all, Kalra said. "To be able to test it right in your backyard is a really big deal."

Are Self-Driving Cars Safe?

Not all groups are celebrating the new rules. Consumer Watchdog is a nonprofit group. Its mission is to protect people from large corporations. The group claims that self-driving cars have not yet been proven safe enough to be used without a human backup driver.

John Simpson is the group's privacy and technology project director. "It will be just like playing a video game, except lives will be at stake," he said.

Fifty companies already have permits to test on public roads and highways in California. The state is an important proving ground for the technology. As the most populated state, California has the nation's biggest car market. It is also a cultural trendsetter, meaning Californians lead the way in ideas and trends.

People will still be in charge of the testing. According to the new rules, driverless cars tested on public roads must have a remote operator monitoring them at all times. The operator must be ready to take over the vehicle as needed. The remote operator also needs to be able to communicate with police and any passengers in the event of an accident.

California's Department of Motor Vehicles, or DMV, wrote the new rules. One new rule is having car makers work with law enforcement. The automakers must provide a plan to work with law enforcement to the DMV.

Eventually Available For Purchase

On March 2, automakers can apply for permits that allow driverless testing. The new rules will go into effect a month later on April 2.

The rules also establish how people can eventually buy driverless cars.

Jean Shiomoto is head of the DMV. She has been working on the regulations for years. In crafting the rules, she said that "safety is our top concern."

Major automakers like Mercedes, BMW, Ford, Nissan and Volvo have all said that their driverless vehicles won't be available until at least 2020. Even then, their use could be limited.

Tesla Inc. said last year that its cars had the hardware they needed for full self-driving. The company is still testing the software. It won't make it available to owners without regulatory approval.

Waymo is the leader in self-driving cars. The company is part of the Google company. It is not commenting on its rollout schedule.

The California rules do not include all vehicles, though. Self-driving trucks and other large vehicles are still not allowed.