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Audi announced this morning that the company has been awarded the first autonomous driving permit in the state of California.

Scott Keogh, President, Audi of America, said in a statement, “Audi is a driving force behind the research taking automated driving from science fiction to pre-production readiness. Obtaining the first permit issued by the State of California shows that we intend to remain the leader in this vital technology frontier.”

According to reports, Audi is set to begin testing the company’s A7 autonomous car in the San Francisco area ASAP, in an effort to beat out Google, Ford, General Motors, and Tesla to the forefront of driverless car technology.

Autonomous vehicles in California will be required to have a special licence plate and automakers are responsible for posting a $5 million insurance bond for each car.