The California Department of Motor Vehicles gave approval this week for the testing of autonomous vehicles in the state.
New regulations for the testing of self-driving cars will take effect on Sept. 16 of this year, according to CNET.
The California DMV is also working on new rules for the use of these vehicles for the public. These rules are expected to be ready by Jan. 1, 2015.
The testing rules apply to the companies that build autonomous cars, CNET reported.
The rules in California allow companies to test cars registered in other states. Manufacturers of these cars must apply for a permit from the state. They must also provide the make and model, license plate number and each car's vehicle identification mode.
Self-driving cars that are being tested must be controlled by a trained driver, PC Magazine reported. Companies testing these cars must also be ready to take over the car if it stops working, and must also have at least $5 million of liability insurance.
Operators of the vehicles have to be in the driver's seat and keep track of its operations. Drivers must prove that they are being paid by the company. These vehicles also have to be tested in a controlled environment before being used on open roads.
The California DMV will begin accepting applications for the tests on July 1, according to PC Magazine. 10 autonomous cars and 20 test drivers will be covered with $150 annual processing fees, and additional cars and drivers cost $50.
Technology for self-driving vehicles has received a great amount of support from Google, which recently logged about 700,000 autonomous miles.
The search engine giant supported a piece of California legislation in 2012, allowing for the operation of self-driving cars.
Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill into law that set standards for the cars' safety and performance in California. Similar laws were passed in Nevada.
