Waymo Secures First California Permit for Fully Driverless Road Testing
Waymo earns the first-ever California permit to test autonomous vehicles on public roads without a human safety driver behind the wheel. The Alphabet-owned company starts its driverless testing in a familiar Silicon Valley territory.
Waymo receives the first permit in California to test fully driverless cars on public roads, marking a major milestone for the Alphabet-owned company. Unlike previous testing, these autonomous vehicles operate completely without a human safety driver behind the wheel. The California Department of Motor Vehicles issues this approval under new state regulations that take effect in April.
The initial driverless testing takes place in a limited geographic area in Silicon Valley, focusing on cities near Waymo's Mountain View headquarters. This territory includes parts of Sunnyvale, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, and Palo Alto. Waymo chooses this specific region because the company knows the roads well and the community already supports safe autonomous vehicle testing.
While the public cannot ride in these driverless cars just yet, Waymo offers the first rides to its own employees. The permit allows the vehicles to drive day and night on city streets, rural roads, and highways with speed limits up to 65 miles per hour. Waymo notes that the cars can even handle fog and light rain, and they automatically come to a safe stop if they encounter an unfamiliar situation.