A revolution in autonomous driving is happening around the world, with Google launching its self-driving car project throughout California and recently introducing the vehicles into the Phoenix area to test their performance in high temps.

Back in January, London's first driverless vehicles were unveiled, and in January 2015 the UK government was already working on regulations that would allow driverless cars on the road.

Still, as of this writing there are still many regulatory hurdles that need to be addressed before we start seeing autonomous vehicles significantly integrated into society.

California DMV Requiring Drivers in Autonomous Vehicles?

Up until this point, most of Google's autonomous vehicle development has been taking place in Silicon Valley, putting the regulatory side of things in the jurisdiction of the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

Unfortunately, to the surprise of many, the California DMV has proposed regulations that would require a licensed driver be present behind the wheel of any autonomous vehicle while it is in operation.

While this seems to be erring on the side of caution, one has to wonder whether the restriction completely negates the benefit of a self-driving car for someone who is disabled or otherwise unable to operate a motor vehicle.

Google and other investors in the sector have criticized the proposed regulations arguing that computers drive safer than their human counterparts.

Four States Addressing Autonomous Vehicle Legislation

Aside from California, the states of Florida, Michigan, and Nevada have also passed laws related to autonomous vehicles. Arizona is expected to follow suite, as are Oregon, the District of Columbia and several other states including:

• Utah

• Connecticut

• Tennessee

• Missouri

• Jersey

• New York

• North Dakota

• Idaho

• Illinois

• Massachusetts

• Georgia

In other words, nearly half of the states in the U.S. are already gearing up for autonomous vehicle legislation, and it is expected that in many of those states a licensed driver will need to be behind the wheel.

Will Europe Require Drivers in All Autonomous Vehicles?

A number of European cities in Italy, France, Belgium, and the UK have expressed interest in launching transport systems designed for autonomous vehicles. This approach would of course differ from the alternative of having individual citizens operating personal autonomous vehicles outside of a standard transport system.

So far, these proposals have involved testing pods that could be incorporated into a public transportation grid. It remains to be seen whether local authorities will require the presence of a driver behind the wheel of personal autonomous vehicles in 5 or 10 years, as we'll have to see how well the vehicles perform and how receptive lawmakers are to the idea of having mostly robotic streets.

It will also be interesting to see whether people will be required to take driving or theory tests in order to operate an autonomous vehicle. Sites like toptests.co.uk currently help learner drivers, and it is likely some form of road proficiency will be required in the future.

Watching the Developments

Right now, it's still too early in the game to be able to predict exactly how authorities and legislators will approach autonomous vehicle regulations. However, we can already get a good idea based on the proposed regulations set forth by California's DMV.

Ultimately, it's going to come down to whether regulators feel comfortable handing over the road to a software-based driver that operates using algorithms and sensors rather than good old-fashioned “common sense.” What about you? Would you feel more comfortable with a driver behind the wheel of every autonomous vehicle, or would you prefer to be able to cruise without any human effort?