KRCR News is reporting that California has opened the doors to driverless delivery vehicles, provided they receive a permit from the DMV.
According to the report, “the Office of Administrative Law approved revised regulations on Monday that will allow companies with a DMV permit to operate autonomous delivery vehicles weighing less than 10,001 pounds.”
Permits will be issued for autonomous vehicles both with and without a backup safety driver. Driverless delivery vehicles will have to follow the same guidelines and standards as autonomous passenger vehicles. The DMV is expected to begin approving applications within 30 days.
The change in regulation is a welcome win for the autonomous vehicle market. If the tests and deployments are successful in California, it will be hard for critics to make valid arguments against their safety and practicality in other jurisdictions.
