SAN FRANCISCO � California began accepting applications Monday for permits to deploy self-driving cars on public roads without a human backup driver at the wheel.
Recent fatal crashes by a self-driving Uber car in Arizona and a Tesla car operating in semiautonomous Autopilot mode in California have put a spotlight on safety, and on Monday the California Department of Motor Vehicles sent out a list of safety requirements that permit applicants must meet.
Among them, vehicles must:
Meet federal motor vehicle standards
Show results from tests that simulate real-world driving
Come with a two-way communications link
Be incapable of being operated autonomously outside the territory or driving conditions stated on the application
And hew to current industry standards to prevent cyberattacks.
Those requirements aren't new _ the DMV issued regulations Feb. 28 _ but they provide a quick overview focusing on safety.
The DMV also noted Monday that under state driverless regulations, it can immediately suspend or revoke permits over practices it deems unsafe.
