SALT LAKE CITY — The Senate approved HB101 on Friday with a unanimous vote giving autonomous cars the green light to come onto the roads in Utah.

The bill outlines regulations for autonomous cars and procedures for when they are involved in accidents. The bill also exempts the cars from licensure because they will initially be used for testing. The bill's floor sponsor, Sen. Gregg Buxton, R-Roy, said this exemption would be taken away as the cars are on the roads more and more.

"This is one more area that we are on the cutting edge of leading technology with autonomy throughout the nation," Buxton said.

The bill will allow companies to begin testing the vehicles on Utah roads.

"It’s the beginning of the autonomous vehicle era 'in real.' What I mean (by) ‘in real’ is, we’re are going to start moving from vehicles that already can drive themselves, that already stay in the lanes, which already brake for us, this starts to go a step further now at a level 4 and 5," Buxton said.

Levels 4 and 5 are autonomous vehicles that do not need a driver available to step in. Buxton said these are still far away, but this bill prepares Utah with the ability to test them.

The bill unanimously passed the House Feb. 20 and will now go to the governor for signature.