Opinion

Self-driving cars ready - all they need is DMV rules

The future is speeding toward us, apparently, at 60 mph - the California Department of Motor Vehicles recently announced its proposed regulations for autonomous, or self-driving cars.

The regulations are expected to be final in the spring.

A highway full of self-driving cars sounds like something out of "The Jetsons," but the DMV has noted that the technology is already there.

What's holding manufacturers back, in fact, is everything else - from critical questions of liability to how these vehicles will be insured. These aren't easy questions, and it's important that the DMV gets the regulations right.

So far, so good. The proposed regulations suggest that any manufacturer who wants to test a self-driving car on California roads will need to obtain a permit. To get a permit, the manufacturer will have to prove that it has "an autonomous vehicle test driver training program" in place, with a test driver that meets "specified requirements." Also necessary: "evidence of financial responsibility" (a substantial amount of insurance) and an approved test vehicle.

All of this seems reasonable, but there are still plenty of questions that need to be answered. How much insurance is enough? (The danger of a haywire self-driving car wouldn't just be a financial disaster for manufacturers, but a public relations one as well.) What about the safety of those test drivers?

The concept will take a little while to accept, but consider: These vehicle operators don't drink, don't text and don't take their eyes off the road when the kids in the backseat are screaming.