Self-driving cars ‘must have driver’, regulators insist

The landmark approach by the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in draft regulations means Californians could be behind the wheel of a self-driving auto by 2017. The regulations are now subject to a period of public commentary before being finalized.

Even so, the proposed regulations are still just a draft.

Self-driving cars will also be required to detect, self-diagnose and respond to cyber attacks and other unauthorised intrusions, allowing the human driver to take control, the ruling stated.

Finally, a licensed driver, or “operator”, must be in the vehicle when it is in use and able to take control of it in the event of a problem. An independent testing organization would have to verify those claims through a “vehicle demonstration test” of the car’s “ability to perform key driving maneuvers that are typically encountered in real-world driving conditions”. The provisional permits are described as a “first step towards the full deployment of autonomous vehicles in California”, and the data collected will be used to inform subsequent regulations by the DMV. The operator will also be responsible for safe operation of the vehicle and any traffic tickets.

Vehicle manufacturers would have to pass tests under the proposal, showing that the driverless auto is ready for public roads, and submit monthly reports about the performance, use and safety of the cars.

Self-driving cars are set to be a significant new technology market within the next few years, as more and more companies look to get involved. About three-quarters of them are owned by Google X and tested daily on trips around the company’s Mountain View headquarters.

“The most unsafe kind of autonomous vehicles are those that require human monitoring”, said Don Norman, professor and director of the Design Lab at UC San Diego.

Google has also been testing a fleet of 23 specially equipped Lexus prototypes, which so far has logged more than one million test miles, in an effort to provide a slightly more luxurious option.

According to commentators, the rules had the potential to be precedent-setting, as California was the only U.S. state to draft a proposal of the kind.

“We’re gravely disappointed that California is already writing a ceiling on the potential for fully self-driving cars to help all of us who live here”, said Google spokesman Johnny Luu in a statement.

The DMV is holding consultation meetings on 28 January in Sacramento and 2 February in LA.