Skip to main content

California DMV adopts new rules for self-driving car tests

California DMV adopts new rules for self-driving car tests

Share this story

Starting in September, Google's self-driving cars will have a new set of rules to abide by. The California DMV has adopteded new guidelines for the testing of self-driving cars, requiring a trained driver in the driver's seat, ready to take the wheel at all times, along with a $5 million dollar insurance bond from the manufacturer. The state is also requiring that any accidents involving an accidental disengaging of the autopilot is immediately reported, providing an early warning of any potentially dangerous design flaws.

The rules are largely in line with measures Google has already taken, and aside from new training for the drivers, shouldn't present much a problem for the company's ongoing testing. Still, the rules represent a tightening of regulations around self-driving technology, with further restrictions still in the works. The DMV's next release will establish the testing standard manufacturers must meet before vehicles can be deployed publicly. The department plans to push forward with those regulations in late December of 2014.