Google exec criticizes California’s self-driving car proposal

Google is sparring with California over its proposal to require a licensed driver be behind the wheel of self-driving cars.

“This maintains the same old status quo and falls short on allowing this technology to reach its full potential, while excluding those who need to get around but cannot drive,” said Google’s Chris Urmson, who directs the autonomous car program, in a post on Medium.

{mosads}“Instead of putting a ceiling on the potential of self-driving cars, let’s have the courage to imagine what California would be like if we could live without the shackles of stressful commutes, wasted hours, and restricted mobility for those who want the independence that the automobile has always represented.”

California’s DMV announced the draft rules this week. They propose requiring that a licensed driver with a special certification for operating an autonomous vehicle be behind the wheel of every self-driving car on the road.

They also propose instituting a required third-party test for autonomous cars and would place cybersecurity and privacy requirements on vehicle manufacturers.

Though Urmson called the move “perplexing,” he said the company would continue to work with the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles as they refine the rules. The agency will hold workshops on the rules in the coming months.

Observers are closely watching regulations in the arena as major players join Google in trying to develop autonomous vehicles. Uber hired many top researchers from Carnegie Mellon University to staff its own self-driving-car facility in Pittsburgh, while traditional car makers from Ford to General Motors are working on their own autonomous offerings.

Google’s parent company Alphabet is reportedly planning to spin off the operation into its own company next year, and ultimately offer Uber-style on-demand rides through the firm.