The California Department of Motor Vehicles has proposed restrictive regulations for autonomous vehicles, effectively banning vehicles that carry passengers without a driver.
The bill (PDF) also requires self-driving vehicles to be equipped with a steering wheel and pedals in order to operate on public roads in California.
If the bill becomes law, companies certified to test autonomous vehicles on California roads (such as BMW, Ford, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Tesla and Volkswagen, as well as technology companies such as Google and Cruise Automation) will not be able to deploy their fleets of driverless vehicles for use as fully automated taxi services.
The proposal also requires autonomous cars to fully meet new safety and performance requirements, with testing and certification by a third-party auditor. TNW points out that currently no such organizations exist.
In a statement to Automotive News, Google said California's rules would block technology that could improve road safety standards and enhance mobility for people who can't drive.
“Safety is our highest priority and our primary motivation. We are deeply disappointed that California is putting a cap on the capabilities of fully autonomous vehicles that can help all of us.”
The proposal is likely to push autonomous vehicle companies out of California for testing and initial development of their vehicles. Austin, Texas Mayor Steve Adler says the city is “excited” to host such innovations.
