Californian regulators allow driverless shuttles to be tested without drivers
Regulators and innovators are uneasy bed fellows but slowly regulators are relaxing the reigns, letting companies do what they do best, innovate A bill signed into law last Thursday by California Governor Jerry Brown allows a self-driving vehicle with no operator inside to test on a public road, a key step enabling a private business park outside San Francisco to test driverless shuttles.
Key takeaways
- Self-driving cars are already allowed to test on California public roads by 15 automakers, technology companies and startups, including Alphabet's Google, Ford, Honda and Tesla.
- A project at the Bishop Ranch office park in the city of San Ramon to deploy driverless shuttles from French company Easymile had been on hold pending passage of the bill.
- The new law means that two cube like Easymile shuttles that travel no faster than 25 mph will be tested for a period of up to six months before being deployed and used by people.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2016) 'Californian regulators allow driverless shuttles to be tested without drivers', 311 Institute, 5 October. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/californian-regulators-allow-driverless-shuttles-to-b-tested-without-drivers/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
Regulators and innovators are uneasy bed fellows but slowly regulators are relaxing the reigns, letting companies do what they do best, innovate
A bill signed into law last Thursday by California Governor Jerry Brown allows a self-driving vehicle with no operator inside to test on a public road, a key step enabling a private business park outside San Francisco to test driverless shuttles.
Self-driving cars are already allowed to test on California public roads by 15 automakers, technology companies and startups, including Alphabet's Google, Ford, Honda and Tesla. But under current state regulations, a person must be in the driver's seat for monitoring, and the car must have brakes and a steering wheel.
The bill introduced by Democratic Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla allows testing in Contra Costa County northeast of San Francisco of the first full-autonomous vehicle without a steering wheel, brakes, accelerator or, more importantly, an operator.
A project at the Bishop Ranch office park in the city of San Ramon to deploy driverless shuttles from French company Easymile had been on hold pending passage of the bill. Easymile already operates the shuttles in Europe.
New legislation was necessary because although driverless vehicles can be tested on private land like the office park, the shuttle will cross a public road on its loop through the campus.
The new law means that two cube like Easymile shuttles that travel no faster than 25 mph will be tested for a period of up to six months before being deployed and used by people.
In an interview in March, Bonilla said the "natural tension" between regulators concerned about safety and lawmakers trying to encourage innovation in their state necessitated a new bill.
"They're risk averse and we're saying we need to open the door here and take steps (to innovate)," Bonilla said, calling the driverless shuttle project "a very wise first out-of-the- gate opportunity" to show how the technology could work safely.
Those working on self-driving vehicles believe their first real-world applications will be on campuses, business parks and other controlled environments with less traffic and fewer distractions than busy urban streets.
What this means for your organisation
Regulation is starting to relax.
California now allows testing with no one inside the vehicle. That removes a major barrier. Other states and countries will watch the results.
Private sites go first.
Business parks offer controlled settings for early shuttles. Property owners can lead adoption. Campuses and estates should explore shuttle pilots.
Vehicle design will change.
Shuttles without steering wheels or pedals look very different from cars. Interiors can be designed for passengers. Plan for new vehicle formats.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- Could autonomous shuttles serve our campus or estate?
- How would operator-free vehicles change our transport plans?
- Should we engage regulators on driverless pilots?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
Regulators and innovators are uneasy bed fellows but slowly regulators are relaxing the reigns, letting companies do what they do best, innovate A bill signed into law last Thursday by California Governor Jerry Brown allows a self-driving vehicle with no operator inside to test on a public road, a key step enabling a private business park outside San Francisco to test driverless shuttles.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity programme, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 5 October 2016. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2016). Californian regulators allow driverless shuttles to be tested without drivers. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/californian-regulators-allow-driverless-shuttles-to-b-tested-without-drivers/
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