Driverless Autonomous Cars Can Now Be Tested in California

[MacRumors]

New regulations that allow driverless autonomous cars to be tested on California roads were officially approved by the California Office of Administrative Law on Monday, reports the San Francisco Examiner.

Starting on April 2, companies in the Bay Area that are working on self-driving vehicle technology will be able to deploy cars that do not have a driver behind the wheel. The new autonomous vehicle regulations have been under review since January 11, but were green lit this morning.

The news is of interest as Apple is one of more than 50 companies testing self-driving vehicle technology in the Bay Area. For almost a year now, Apple has been testing autonomous driving software in a series of 2015 Lexus RX450h SUVs, which can often be seen on the streets surrounding its Cupertino headquarters.

While little has been said about Apple's testing efforts in recent months, the company was spotted using new LIDAR equipment in August of 2017, and as of January 2018, Apple has 27 vehicles running autonomous driving software, up from the three it started with last year.

With the new regulations in place, Apple can potentially apply for a new deployment permit with the California DMV that would allow it to test its software sans drivers. It's not known, however, if Apple is ready for that kind of advanced testing.

While California is allowing companies to deploy and test fully autonomous driverless cars, a "communication link" must be maintained between the testing vehicle and remote operators. All remote vehicle operators must monitor the status of driverless vehicles at all times and be ready to step in should the vehicle experience "failures that would endanger the safety of the vehicle's passengers or other road users." Cars must be protected from cyberattacks and must also be able to transmit information in the event of a crash.

Companies must also certify that a vehicle is capable of operating without the presence of a driver and develop a "law enforcement interaction plan" to be provided to the California Highway Patrol.

Should Apple choose to take advantage of the new policies, the company will need to obtain a permit from the California DMV, and granted permits are made available to the public. So should Apple opt for this route, it won't be able to keep its work secret. These kinds of regulations have already spurred Apple CEO Tim Cook to confirm the company's work on autonomous systems.

"We're focusing on autonomous systems. It's a core technology that we view as very important. We sort of see it as the mother of all AI projects. It's probably one of the most difficult AI projects actually to work on," Cook said back in June of 2017.

Some other states have already adopted more relaxed rules that allow companies to deploy autonomous vehicles without drivers. In Arizona, for example, Google-owned company Waymo is already operating autonomous minivans sans safety driver.

Article Link: Driverless Autonomous Cars Can Now Be Tested in California

 

[filmantopia]

How awesome. First step of a long journey ahead. Crazy to think my future kids may never drive a car.

 

[TComm]

I am ready for my iCar!

 

[Tozovac]

I hope apple doesn’t design autonomous driving cars like it designs its hardware and software today — with complete obliviousness and disregard towards consumer preference.

Customer: Siri, please take me to the basketball court.
Apple car: I’m sorry, you really don’t know what you want, we believe the future is racquetball. You must buy a basketball dongle if you want to use your basketball.

 

[obezcinnet]

I hope apple doesn’t design autonomous driving cars like it designs its hardware and software today — with complete obliviousness and disregard towards consumer preference.

you dont get it, and probably won't get it even if someone explains it in laymans terms.
this is an important step further for autonomous driving and AI/ tight integration between hardware and software is the best fit for this purpose. consumer doesn't need to modify the hardware or software for self driving cars. your basketball court analogy is absurd.

 

[tzm41]

Future is coming. I am so excited and can't wait for the energy, time, and lives saved by autonomous vehicles. On the road I see countless drivers behind the wheels playing with their cell phones. It will be revolutionary when we free up so much time for people.

 

[anthogag]

This is what they have to do, test the cars without a driver.

This could bring back the pump jockey at fuel and EV stations.

 

[jasvncnt]

Hopefully when the cars battery degrades it doesn't forceably slow the car down....or just shut down while your on the highway /s

 

[Tozovac]

you dont get it, and probably won't get it even if someone explains it in laymans terms.
this is an important step further for autonomous driving and AI/ tight integration between hardware and software is the best fit for this purpose. consumer doesn't need to modify the hardware or software for self driving cars. your basketball court analogy is absurd.

No it’s not absurd.

Lighten up Francis, it’s a joke. Just like Apple disregards customer preferences with highly controversial decisions for things such as headphone jacks, USB 3 ports, expandability, MagSafe, etc., I was just making a joke. There is an interesting YouTube video about why Apple does the things it does, centering on their belief that only they know what’s next and best for the customer, not the customer. If I can find it, I’ll share for your insight to understand my metaphor. Is that layman enough to understand?
[doublepost=1519699236][/doublepost]

Future is coming. I am so excited and can't wait for the energy, time, and lives saved by autonomous vehicles. On the road I see countless drivers behind the wheels playing with their cell phones. It will be revolutionary when we free up so much time for people.

The funny thing is we currently have self-driving vehicles that could free people up to text or work or relax instead of drive. They are called buses and taxis, just unfortunately with infrastructures that currently aren’t as flexible as they’d need to be, especially for those in the suburbs. Considering how much more fuel-efficient a bus could be vs. 24 self-driving cars, it's too bad public transportation isn't more well-developed...

 

[Kabeyun]

Cars must be protected from cyberattacks

Thought this was quaint. Let’s just throw that language into documents covering the power grid and voting systems. Gotta make sure they’re attack-proof too!

 

[MacManiac1]

I live in Pittsburgh where Uber is doing a lot of testing with Volvos. They still have the driver in them for backup, and they seem like they are doing a good job, but they still bump into things from time to time.

I think once all or at least the majority of the cars are self driving, and they can communicate with each other their speeds and positions, things will be better. But now a driver can slam into the side of a self driving Uber and push it into a car next to it.

When there is no one in the car, I wonder how that will all work out about accident reporting and such. Will the car think it wasn’t hit and just drive off? Lots of questions still.

 

[Will.O.Bie]

I can't wait to take a nap while "driving" home because I'm stuck in traffic for hours. Good times!
[doublepost=1519700054][/doublepost]

When there is no one in the car, I wonder how that will all work out about accident reporting and such. Will the car think it wasn’t hit and just drive off?

Imagine the police asking a witness in a car accident to describe what they saw, "Uhh, describe the driver?" "Uhmm...he's/she's..."

"On second thought, I think I might've blacked out at the time of the accident coz I have this thing..."

 

[Jesse Waugh]

Silent electric driverless cars coming at you as you cross the street - doesn’t sound safe.

 

[obezcinnet]

No it’s not absurd.

Lighten up Francis, it’s a joke. Just like Apple disregards customer preferences with highly controversial decisions for things such as headphone jacks, USB 3 ports, expandability, MagSafe, etc., I was just making a joke. There is an interesting YouTube video about why Apple does the things it does, centering on their belief that only they know what’s next and best for the customer, not the customer. If I can find it, I’ll share for your insight to understand my metaphor. Is that layman enough to understand?

"it's really hard to design products by focus groups. A lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to them".

you are trying too hard to make your nonsense point, which seems to be obsessed about decades old technologies like headphone jack. do you miss your dvd rom and ethernet port too? what is that to do with self driving cars?

 

[Cobalt50]

Already this: http://www.riotinto.com/ourcommitment/spotlight-18130_18328.aspx

 

[Altis]

you are trying too hard to make your nonsense point, which seems to be obsessed about decades old technologies like headphone jack. do you miss your dvd rom and ethernet port too? what is that to do with self driving cars?

There's nothing wrong with headphone jacks, they're still used all over, and Ethernet is in full use still today. Ever seen a network switch?

 

[JohnApples]

Silent electric driverless cars coming at you as you cross the street - doesn’t sound safe.

I think looking both ways before crossing the street is one of the earliest lessons I was taught. Also, I’d rather trust an autonomous car coming at me than a drunk driver.

 

[nexesnex]

I bet they decided to implement the law starting the 2nd of April because they were concerned people would think it was some type of April fools joke if they did the 1st

 

[Tozovac]

"it's really hard to design products by focus groups. A lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to them".

you are trying too hard to make your nonsense point, which seems to be obsessed about decades old technologies like headphone jack. do you miss your dvd rom and ethernet port too? what is that to do with self driving cars?

Oh yes, I miss both of those things, including the VGA port and parallel/serial ports!

Francis, nobody, including myself, is asking Apple to listen to focus groups. If, as you sound, you believe every decision Apple ever makes is unquestionably acceptable, then I guess we have nothing to discuss, as you could not possibly be convinced to even consider that, perhaps, eliminating MagSafe, for example, is a dumb, forced change-for-the-sake-of-change “design improvement for customers who obviously don’t know what they want,” which, I would predict, most customers would prefer to have back if they could.

What my post has to do with self driving cars: this article is about Apple and self driving cars. My ongoing concern is how Apple hides behind the supposed “inability to please all customers” when it throws Hail Mary controversial design changes for the sake of change. So, to help sell my agenda, I made a funny in regards to self driving cars. Does that help break it down into digestible terms? I’ll assume the people who liked my post get in agree with my message. So I’m not the only one watching with tentative, doubting, squinting eyes as Apple enters into truly big dollar consumer products.

 

[macfacts]

Imagine the notch on the iCar.

 

[Tozovac]

Imagine the notch on the iCar.

I’d welcome it if it helped cover the ugliest, most garish and inelegant grille in production car history.

 

[Bawstun]

Future is coming. I am so excited and can't wait for the energy, time, and lives saved by autonomous vehicles. On the road I see countless drivers behind the wheels playing with their cell phones. It will be revolutionary when we free up so much time for people.

Time to do what? Use FB? Post product reviews on Instagram? I’m sorry - but I hate the future of driving. Really, I do. I understand the net benefits, I’m just not sure they outweigh the risks. Brains need to be attentive, learn to reflect and react. This will just further dumb us down - increase dementia and cancer rates, etc. it’s basically going to be like sitting in front of a television.

And before anyone says, yes I practice what I preach. I haven’t owned a television, or had cable since 2009, and I’m grateful I was able to get away from the grasp of consumerism in that regard. TV is awful. Don’t do it.

 

[macsba]

Just waiting for the first car to be hacked.

 

[TheColtr]

People are going to be killed because of these driverless cars.

 

[A MacBook lover]

Future is coming. I am so excited and can't wait for the energy, time, and lives saved by autonomous vehicles. On the road I see countless drivers behind the wheels playing with their cell phones. It will be revolutionary when we free up so much time for people.

Hopefully when the cars battery degrades it doesn't forceably slow the car down....or just shut down while your on the highway /s

My tesla does this. People seem to not get this is standard across all batteries.
[doublepost=1519710574][/doublepost]

Oh yes, I miss both of those things, including the VGA port and parallel/serial ports!

Francis, nobody, including myself, is asking Apple to listen to focus groups. If, as you sound, you believe every decision Apple ever makes is unquestionably acceptable, then I guess we have nothing to discuss, as you could not possibly be convinced to even consider that, perhaps, eliminating MagSafe, for example, is a dumb, forced change-for-the-sake-of-change “design improvement for customers who obviously don’t know what they want,” which, I would predict, most customers would prefer to have back if they could.

What my post has to do with self driving cars: this article is about Apple and self driving cars. My ongoing concern is how Apple hides behind the supposed “inability to please all customers” when it throws Hail Mary controversial design changes for the sake of change. So, to help sell my agenda, I made a funny in regards to self driving cars. Does that help break it down into digestible terms? I’ll assume the people who liked my post get in agree with my message. So I’m not the only one watching with tentative, doubting, squinting eyes as Apple enters into truly big dollar consumer products.

Stop crying about MagSafe. As a new MacBook owner I don’t even care - and if I did there are solutions out there for me to buy to make it magsafe-like.