Audi said that it will be the first company to receive a newly established autonomous driving permit issued by California.
Audi wants to develop a highly automated Piloted driving system for freeway traffic conditions. The company imagines that this technology could be ready for consumer introduction within five years.
The regulations include proof of insurance or surety bonds for manufacturers testing automated driving research cars, and permits for company-designated operators of those vehicles.
In a statement, Audi said that California roads are especially crucial to its piloted driving testing because the state is home to the brand’s Electronics Research Lab (ERL), and ERL engineers are working on a wide range of automated driving issues.
Audi and ERL researchers have been involved in the pursuit of automated driving from its earliest stages. Engineers from Audi, ERL and Stanford University collaborated on the development of the Autonomous Audi TTS Pikes Peak car, which successfully completed the challenging 12.42-mile route of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb race in Colorado in 27 minutes without a human in the car.
Source: Audi
