Dec. 20, 2019—The California Department of Motor Vehicles announced that it will now allow driverless light-duty trucks and cargo vans to be tested on the state’s public roads, according to CNBC.
Light-duty driverless vehicles that carry items like pizzas or groceries can be test-driven on California roads, as long as the organizations testing them obtain a permit from the California DMV, and either have a safety driver on board, or meet a list of tech and reporting standards.
Companies testing the vehicles without a human test driver behind the wheel will have to build in a link to a remote operator. They must also agree to share data with the state -- submitting an annual “disengagement report” and collision reports to the DMV within 10 days of any incidents involving their cars.
Right now, 65 companies hold permits to test self-driving vehicles on public roads in California. The permits require a safety-driver on board and cannot conduct deliveries with these. Only, Waymo has attained a permit for fully testing autonomous cars.
