California Says Autonomous Cars Don't Need Human Drivers
- New draft regulations reverse earlier rules that irked Google
- State also backs off requirement that cars have steering wheel
The two-seater prototype of Google's self-driving car.
Photographer: LiPo Ching/Bay Area News Group/TNS via Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
California relaxed several rules on self-driving cars as the state tries to maintain its status as a leading test bed for the future of transportation.
The state’s Department of Motor Vehicles released proposed regulations Friday for autonomous vehicles, dropping an earlier requirement that a human driver had to be present while testing on public roads. The DMV also backed down on a previous rule that vehicles needed a steering wheel and pedals for the operator to take back control.