Draft regulations released by California state regulators requiring that autonomous vehicles have a licensed driver capable of taking control in an emergency may create a speed bump for manufacturers. "Driverless vehicles are initially excluded from deployment," the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) wrote in a December 16 release outlining draft rules regarding autonomous vehicle operation in the U.S.'s largest state by auto registration.

The agency set up two workshops—one on January 28 in Sacramento and a second on February 2 in Los Angeles—for the public to comment on the draft rules. Reaction was negative from Google, which has developed a range of autonomous driving technologies in recent years, including a prototype car with neither a steering wheel nor pedals.

Google has developed a prototype autonomous car with no steering wheel or pedals. Image credit: Google."We’re gravely disappointed that California is already writing a ceiling on the potential for fully self-driving cars to help all of us who live here," Google spokesman Johnny Luu said in a statement.

California's approach to autonomous driving is being watched as the state sometimes is regarded a bellwether for how regulations are set in other states. The DMV's draft rules address issues related to autonomous vehicle safety, certification, operator responsibilities, licensing and registration, privacy and cyber-security. Key aspects include:

• A third-party testing organization will be required to conduct a vehicle demonstration test to provide independent vehicle performance verification.
• Manufacturers will be approved for a three-year deployment permit, which will require them to regularly report on the performance, safety and usage of autonomous vehicles. Data collected will provide an opportunity to evaluate the safety and performance of autonomous vehicles and help the department set other rules.