Waymo extends self-driving car test without test drivers to California

Waymo has received a permit from the US state of California to test its self-driving cars without a backup driver in Mountain View, an area near the city of San Jose. The company has been conducting such tests in Phoenix, Arizona for some time.

According to Waymo, it is the first time California has allowed self-driving cars to be tested on public roads, without a test driver sitting in the driver’s seat to intervene in case of problems. The tests are taking place in a relatively small area in Mountain View, where Waymo and other self-driving car companies, among others, have their headquarters.

These tests in California became possible after the state passed new rules in April, allowing companies within certain limits to apply for a license to test driverless self-driving cars. A few days after the introduction of the new rules, Waymo already applied for the license.

The first rides with the cars will carry Waymo employees, but the plan is to eventually offer rides to the public, just like in Arizona. In Arizona, that point is already closer; the fleet of Pacifica minivans will eventually be used there as a commercial taxi service, even though quite a few reports of technical defects were previously made.

The permit allows the cars in California to drive both day and night and on normal and rural roads. Fog and light rain are no spoilsport either and a speed of up to 104 km/h can be achieved on highways. Waymo is also required to report any collisions within ten days, something the Arizona company is not required to do.