The Hub is moving one step closer to having driverless cars traversing the city now that state officials are set to review a formal application from a local company that is hoping to develop the autonomous vehicles of the future.

A special group of MassDOT officials will meet next week to review an application from Cambridge-based nuTonomy, an MIT spinoff tech startup that is developing software that will be used in state-of-the-art self-driving cars. Although the application process could take weeks, and it’s unclear whether the company will get the green light to start testing its vehicles before the end of the year, MassDOT assistant secretary Katherine Fitcher said: “We want to work quickly.”

If they get the go-ahead, nuTonomy plans to test out their vehicles in the Raymond L. Flynn Marine Park in South Boston. When testing begins, there will be restrictions regarding what kind of weather the cars will be allowed to operate in, city officials have said.

When they hit the pavement, nuTonomy’s vehicles will be the first self-driving cars to have been tested in the Bay State.

The application requires nuTonomy to describe both their driving plan and safety measures and prove their operators are trained, licensed and have insurance.