Audi First To Automated Driving Permit In CA

A whopping 230,000 driverless vehicles could be on the road PER YEAR by the year 2025 according to a recent IHS Automotive study. Audi knows this. That's why their receiving of the first California-issued Autonomous Driving Permit is very, very good news for them.

The law which allows this sort of automated driving was signed into law all the way back in the year 2012 by Governor Jerry Brown. Tuesday – today – state regulations allowing autonomous drive testing to take place on public roads.

Automated driving has taken place on public roads in California (and in other states) before. This is just the first time the law requiring special permits for such driving has been on the books for CA.

Facts about the drive testing that'll be going on:

• There must be a human "pilot" inside the vehicle.

• Each vehicle must have $5 MILLION in surety bond.

• Each vehicle's driver must have separate proof of insurance.

• Pilots must have a near-perfect driving record

Below you'll see an Audi Piloted Driving test on an expressway in Tampa, Florida.

Next you'll see the Audi A7 working in Auto Pilot mode. This will be the vehicle you'll see most in Auto Pilot testing in California for the time being.

California will also be seeing Google apply for permits with their 25-car Lexus SUV fleet. Volkswagen and Mercedes will also be applying – and may have permits by the time this article is published.