Waymo has applied to test completely autonomous cars on California roads without safety drivers on board.
The driverless technology division of Google’s parent company applied to the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to test the self-driving vehicles near Waymo’s Mountain View headquarters, with the goal of expanding tests across the Bay area.
Driverless testing, in every sense, became legal in the state earlier this month, and the DMV has confirmed that two companies have so far applied to test vehicles on public roads. The identity of the second company is unknown.
Under California rules, cars without drivers must be able to communicate with remote operators.
Waymo has reportedly told the DMV that its autonomous cars can handle city streets as well as highways at speeds of up to 65 mph, and can navigate day and night through light rain and fog.
The move comes less than a month after two fatal accidents in the U.S. involved cars that were on some level of autonomous mode with human drivers onboard.
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Source: Internet of Business
