Uber’s Self-Driving Program Flees to Arizona After Violating California DMV Rules
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Uber has decided to take its self-driving talents to the arid climes of Arizona, after violating California DMV rules in San Francisco. Its short-lived self-driving test program came to a screeching halt when the state DMV accused Uber of operating without proper permitting:
“We have a permitting process in place to ensure public safety as this technology is being tested. Twenty manufacturers have already obtained permits to test hundreds of cars on California roads. Uber shall do the same.”
Uber, in typical form, tried to stand its ground and argue that because its cars had engineers in them and weren’t fully autonomous, it did not need to apply for a self-driving permit. That argument failed to win the sympathies of California regulators and the company eventually conceded defeat under mounting public and political pressure. Instead, it announced today that its 16-car fleet of Volvo XC90 SUVs would be transported to Arizona on the self-driving Otto trucks that Uber owns.
“Our cars departed for Arizona this morning by truck,” an Uber spokeswoman said in a statement. “We’ll be expanding our self-driving pilot there in the next few weeks, and we’re excited to have the support of [Arizona] governor [Doug] Ducey.”
Arizona, under Ducey’s administration, has been assiduously courting tech talent and jobs, with state agencies ordered to do their utmost to pave the way for self-driving car tests on Arizonan roads. While there are still a bevy of regulatory hurdles to work out and formal policies governing autonomous vehicles to be issued, Ducey has gone ahead and welcomed Uber into his state with open arms:
“Arizona is proud to be open for business. California may not want you, but we do,” he declared.
