Following on from neighbouring Nevada, the state of California has now officially sanctioned the use of driverless vehicles. And is perhaps to emphasize the point, governor Jerry Brown showed to the signing ceremony riding in a self driving Toyota Prius, along with Google’s Sergey Brin and state senator Alex Padilla, who sponsored the bill.
Although the new law goes into effect in 2013, industry experts and officials still say it could take years, possibly decades before driverless cars actually become available to the average motorist, due to contentious “big brother,” issues and possible liability implications. Instead, the new law is designed to provide a legal framework for research and development on driverless cars to continue.
Google has said it plans to develop driverless vehicles with major auto manufacturers, rather than attempting to introduce its own such cars. “We have had great conversations with a variety of automakers,” said Sergey Brin. “Anything we do is going to be in partnership with the industry. He also said that driverless vehicles “could dramatically improve the quality of life,” citing that such cars could transport “revelers who’ve drunk too much,” as well as aiding the blind and cutting down on traffic congestion, since by driving closer together, driverless vehicles would make better use of road space.
Automakers currently involved in driverless vehicle programs include BMW, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen.
