Look out folks, cars in California are about to become self-aware. California’s DMV will begin issuing licences for driverless cars in September, which will allow the vehicles to function in “autonomous mode” on pubic roads across the Golden state, provided strict standards are met. (I knew the convergence would begin in California!)
Don’t expect to see the little guys whizzing around by themselves anytime soon, though; with the DMV’s approval comes great responsibility. California will only allow the cars to be put in “autonomous mode” – auto-pilot if you will – when a test driver is present and seated in the driver’s seat. The test driver must be an employee of the vehicle’s manufacturer, and carry an insurance policy worth a cool $5 million. The application process will begin in July, with licences set to be issued on September 16th.
Are you excited to hop in the plush interior of a self-driving vehicle, or does the thought of computer guided cars terrify you? Either way you lean, the tech is here, and its coming to a roadway near you.
Hopefully our rides in a self-driving car don’t leave us stranded on some crazy billionaire’s island like in Silicon Valley…