• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’

2

The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families

3

Current price of oil as of June 17, 2026

1

Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’

2

The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families

3

Current price of oil as of June 17, 2026
Tech

Google Is ‘Disappointed’ With California’s New Self-Driving Cars Rules

By
Kirsten Korosec
Kirsten Korosec
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Kirsten Korosec
Kirsten Korosec
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 16, 2015, 5:33 PM ET
Kirsten Korosec
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

California has issued preliminary rules that take a tentative step towards letting the public operate self-driving cars on its roadways. And Google isn’t happy.

The first draft rules, released Wednesday by the state Department of Motor Vehicles, aims to address the thorny questions involving autonomous vehicles around licensing, registration, certification, safety—even cybersecurity and privacy. In the process, the DMV has placed strict limits on the emerging technology and angered companies hoping to profit from it.

The rules prohibit the use of fully autonomous driverless cars that don’t have a steering wheel or a brake pedal—like the prototype that Google (GOOG) has developed. A licensed operator must be present inside the vehicle and be capable of taking control at all times if the technology fails or there is another emergency.

Google and other companies are working to perfect self-driving car technology, considered by many to be the future of travel. The tech giant is creating a test fleet of gumdrop shaped autonomous vehicles in hope of commercializing them by 2020, pitching them as a safer and more convenient alternative to traditional cars.

“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 said in a statement Wednesday.

 

The DMV argued in its rules that manufacturers must further testing driverless vehicles on public roads prior to making this technology available to the general public. More rules will be come later, the DMV said.

The state also banned manufacturers from selling autonomous vehicles, creating a potentially huge problem for carmakers. Instead, companies would only be able to lease self-driving cars, the DMV said without explaining why.

The regulations, if approved, affect more than just Google. A strict interpretation of the rules would prevent companies working on driverless self-parking features like Tesla Motors (TSLA) and Mercedes-Benz from deploying its technology. It could also force Google—and any other company working on the same technology—to test fully autonomous vehicles in other states like Texas or Nevada.

Tesla issued a statement saying it’s “reviewing the draft and will continue to work with officials to ensure that any necessary new regulations support continued innovation in new beneficial technologies.”

The DMV will host two public forums on Jan. 28 in Northern California; and Feb. 2 in Southern California.

Other key points in the rules:

  • The regulations place responsibility for traffic violations on the car’s operator, even when the vehicle is driving itself.
  • Manufacturers must certify that their autonomous vehicles comply with specific vehicle safety and performance requirements, including functional safety and behavioral competency. A third-party testing organization must verify the vehicle can perform key driving maneuvers that are typically encountered in real-world driving conditions.
  • Manufacturers approved for deployment will initially be issued a three-year deployment permit. As a condition of this provisional permit, autonomous vehicles can only be operated by the manufacturer or made available to the public on no more than a leased basis.
  • Manufacturers must submit monthly reports on the performance, safety, and usage of their autonomous vehicles. Manufacturers must also report accidents that occurred while the vehicle was in autonomous mode and any safety-related defects in their autonomous technology. [Google already shares an accident and progress report with the public every month.]

The rules also place restrictions on how manufacturers collect data from self-driving cars. Manufacturers not only have to provide consumers written disclosure of any information collected by the autonomous technology that isn’t related to safety, they also will have to obtain written approval to gather this data.

The autonomous vehicles will also have to be able to detect, respond, and alert the operator to cyber attacks. In the event of such an alert, the autonomous vehicle operator will have the capability to override the autonomous technology, the DMW says.

Make sure to subscribe to Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter on the business of technology.

For more on Google’s self-driving cars, check out this video:

[fortune-brightcove videoid=4359970757001]

 

About the Author
By Kirsten Korosec
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

LaShonda Anderson-Williams, chief customer and commercial officer at Salesforce, speaking at Fortune Brainstorm Tech 2026 in Aspen, Colorado. (Photo: Stuart Isett/Fortune)
Future of WorkBrainstorm Tech
How to run a company when the AI agents vastly outnumber the humans
By Alexei OreskovicJune 18, 2026
2 hours ago
LinkedIn research says half of C-suite leaders are flying blind on AI—and its CBO says they can’t fix it the way they’re trying
Future of WorkLeadership
LinkedIn research says half of C-suite leaders are flying blind on AI—and its CBO says they can’t fix it the way they’re trying
By Nick LichtenbergJune 18, 2026
2 hours ago
Sanders stands at a podium with a poster that reads "fight oligarchy"
PoliticsBernie Sanders
‘Make AI work for ordinary people’: Bernie Sanders wants to pay you $1,000 every year from a government stake in AI companies 
By Jacqueline MunisJune 18, 2026
4 hours ago
Exclusive: Son of pro-crypto New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand raises $30 million to launch a derivatives exchange
CryptoPolitics
Exclusive: Son of pro-crypto New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand raises $30 million to launch a derivatives exchange
By Ben WeissJune 18, 2026
5 hours ago
Entry-level work didn’t disappear, PwC finds with ‘seniorization.’ It just morphed into something young workers can’t get
Future of Workentry level
Entry-level work didn’t disappear, PwC finds with ‘seniorization.’ It just morphed into something young workers can’t get
By Nick LichtenbergJune 18, 2026
5 hours ago
Man pushing AI in a cart upwards.
NewslettersEye on AI
AI’s free-for-all era may be coming to an end—as companies start counting the cost
By Beatrice NolanJune 18, 2026
6 hours ago

Most Popular

Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’
Success
Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 18, 2026
15 hours ago
The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families
Economy
The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families
By Jacqueline MunisJune 17, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of June 17, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 17, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 17, 2026
1 day ago
Hundreds of Stanford students walked out of their grad ceremony to protest Google CEO’s commencement speech. It wasn’t all about AI
Big Tech
Hundreds of Stanford students walked out of their grad ceremony to protest Google CEO’s commencement speech. It wasn’t all about AI
By Tristan BoveJune 15, 2026
3 days ago
'Work hard, stay loyal, and the system will reward you': the Boomer credo is a Gen X betrayal and a Millennial pipe dream
Success
'Work hard, stay loyal, and the system will reward you': the Boomer credo is a Gen X betrayal and a Millennial pipe dream
By Nick LichtenbergJune 16, 2026
2 days ago
Vanguard's alarming state of retirement in 2026: The average American has $167,970 in their account—or they have $44,115
Personal Finance
Vanguard's alarming state of retirement in 2026: The average American has $167,970 in their account—or they have $44,115
By Nick LichtenbergJune 17, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.