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The California Department of Motor Vehicles said on Wednesday it
revoked the registration of 16 Uber self-driving cars because
they had not been properly permitted. For the last week, the
agency was demanding that Uber shut down its program and comply
with regulations requiring a permit to test self-driving cars on
public roads.
Uber said it was not obligated to have a permit because its
vehicles require continuous monitoring by a person in the car.
San Francisco was supposed to be Uber's second testing ground
for its self-driving cars. The company unveiled its self-driving
cars in September in Pittsburgh.
"We're now looking at where we can redeploy these cars but
remain 100 percent committed to California and will be
redoubling our efforts to develop workable statewide rules," an
Uber spokeswoman said in a statement.
California defines autonomous vehicles as having the capability
to drive "without the active physical control or monitoring of a
natural person."
Uber has argued that the law does not apply to its cars, which
cannot stay in autonomous mode continuously. A driver and an
engineer are in the front seats to take over frequently in
sticky traffic situations such as construction zones or
pedestrian crossings.
Uber's defiance was met with threats of legal action from the
DMV and the state attorney general.
The DMV told Uber that if it had obtained a permit, the
regulator would have given the green light to the self-driving
pilot. DMV director Jean Shiomoto said in a letter sent to Uber
on Wednesday that she would "personally help to ensure an
expedited review and approval process," which she said can take
less than three days.
The permit process is largely seen as a public safety measure,
as regulations also require that companies provide the DMV with
accident reports. Uber, however, has complained that its home
state has favored complex rules over technological innovation.
It is not yet clear whether Uber will apply for the permit or
simply bring the self-driving cars to another state.
Another 20 companies exploring self-driving cars, including
Alphabet's <GOOG.O> Google, Tesla Motors <TSLA.O> and Ford Motor
Co <F.N>, have obtained California DMV permits for 130 cars.
Uber opened up the self-driving car program to San Francisco
passengers on Dec. 14, but has been testing the cars on city
roadways for more than a month.
(Reporting by Heather Somerville; Editing by Sandra Maler and
Leslie Adler)
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