The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) on April 28 approved new regulations that would allow autonomous vehicle (AV) makers to test and deploy heavy-duty AV technology on California roadways.
The California DMV said manufacturers are required to test their vehicles with a safety driver, then progress to driverless testing, before they can apply for deployment on state roads.
Manufacturers must complete 50,000 miles of testing at each phase for light-duty vehicles and 500,000 miles for heavy-duty AVs and provide “a structured safety case” showing the safety of vehicle hardware, software, and operations in order to obtain a permit, according to the DMV.
The new rules would also expand safety and oversight requirements for all classes of AVs, allowing law enforcement agencies to cite companies for moving violations committed by their vehicles.
Under the regulations, companies operating AVs must respond to first-responder calls within 30 seconds, and local emergency officials will have the authority to issue “electronic geofencing directives” requiring autonomous vehicles to leave active emergency zones.
“California continues to lead the nation in the development and adoption of AV technology, and these updated regulations further demonstrate the state’s commitment to public safety,” DMV Director Steve Gordon said.
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