Self-driving cars are set to roll out in the Golden State later this year. The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) adopted official regulations this week for testing driverless cars on public roads.
The new rules, which will take effect statewide on Sept. 16, were approved just months after the DMV held a public hearing, in January, to debate the use of self-driving cars on California streets, reported Ars Technica.
The newly adopted regulations will require companies to apply for a designated testing permit and obtain a $5 million insurance bond for protection, according to Ars Technica. The DMV will also require researchers to undergo training and complete a certification program; and the vehicle operators must remain in the driver's seat for the duration of the test drives.
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"As automated systems get more complex, human understanding also gets more complex," Bryant Walker Smith, a fellow at the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford (CARS), told Ars Technica. "For a vehicle to suddenly swerve to the right, a human would have to grab [the steering wheel]. … Training becomes even more important, and it would also be important for general users."
If a driverless car gets into an accident on the road, the mishap must be reported to the DMV within 10 days, the new rules state. Operators must also report to the DMV if a car's self-driving functions are disengaged for any safety reasons.
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