Google headquarters in Mountain View was the site for a bill-signing today by California Governor Jerry Brown that could pave the way for driverless cars in the state.
Google’s fleet of self-driving cars uses computers, sensors, and other technology to operate on its own.
The bill establishes safety and performance regulations to test and operate the vehicles on state roads. It requires a licensed driver behind the wheel if needed to override the autopilot.
Brown called the autonomous car “today’s science fiction becoming tomorrow’s reality.”
“This self-driving car is another step forward in this long march of California pioneering the future, and leading not just the country, but the whole world,” said Brown.
Engineers said the robotic vehicles have the potential to make roads safer since most accidents are a result of human error.
They could be sold commercially within the next decade.
