Test drivers of autonomous vehicles will need special training, permit
Effective September 16, Google and other companies looking to test autonomous cars will be able to do so in and around Silicon Valley.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles has approved regulations for autonomous vehicle testing within the state. Among the regulations are requirements for special driver training for test drivers and $5 million in insurance or safety bond.
To test within California, manufacturers will need to obtain a permit from the DMV valid for one year.
While testing autonomous prototypes, a driver must be present at all times in case of a failure or safety issue. Any incidents caused by autonomous vehicles, or situations requiring intervention from the driver to avoid an incident, must be reported to the DMV within 10 days of the incident.
Nevada has allowed testing of autonomous vehicles since 2012 and those vehicles are affixed with special licence plates to denote their autonomy.
[Source: ArsTechnica]
