Feb. 26, 2018—Self-driving cars that back up their computerized system with a remote human operator instead of a fallback driver at the wheel could be tested on Cali. roads as early as April, the state department of motor vehicles said, reported CNBC.
Relying on a remote human operator — who could control multiple autonomous vehicles from miles away — is a step that would allow a path to profitability in the nascent field of self-driving technology by eliminating Cali.'s requirement for in-car minders.
Experts believe early adopters of the technology will include ride-hailing services seeking to maximize paying passengers while eliminating paid backups traveling with them.
The race to develop autonomous vehicles includes such global automakers as General Motors and technology giants like Alphabet's Waymo unit. If they are ready to deploy the remote monitor technology by April, it would be the first time they could test their cars on public roads in the state without physical drivers present.
The remote control technology, already used by NASA and the military, is seen as a way to more quickly usher in the commercial roll out of self-driving cars. The new regulations are expected to be approved later this month, and take effect in April after a month-long public notice period.
Companies like Nissan, Waymo and startups Zoox, Phantom Auto and Starsky Robotics have been working on the technology, which allows for a remote operator to take control of a vehicle if the underlying autonomous system inside the car encounters problems, known in the industry as difficult-to-solve "edge" cases.
"We think we have the ultimate backup system — which is a human," said Elliot Katz, co-founder of Phantom Auto, which last month at the CES technology conference demonstrated how cars driving in Las Vegas could be remotely controlled from Mountain View, Cali., over 500 miles away.
The presence of a remote operator also helps companies reassure lawmakers and the public, said Katz, who said he expected companies to deploy such technology on California roads soon after April.
