Get ready for cars without drivers! Ontario will allow the testing of self-driving cars on public roads as of Jan. 1, Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca said today.
Any drivers who sign up for the project will be required to carry a G license, have a $5 million insurance policy, and be responsible for any accidents should a police investigation conclude that they are at fault.
Ontario will allow testing of self-driving cars on provincial roads starting next year, but only with a human operator who can take over in case of problems.
Here is more on the driverless car of the future:
The government says the pilot project will allow companies to conduct research and development in Ontario, and help bring automated vehicles to market.
The self-driving vehicles are capable of detecting the surrounding environment using artificial intelligence, sensors and global positioning systems.
Officials say automated and connected-vehicle technologies can improve fuel efficiency and help reduce traffic congestion, greenhouse gas emissions and driver distraction.
Toyota announced last week that it hopes to have a self-driving car on the road in Japan by 2020.
Information about applying for the pilot project will be available online from the Ministry of Transportation in late November.
Three U.S. states—Nevada, Florida, and California—as well as Japan and several countries in Europe are in the process of testing the so-called “autonomous vehicles” (AVs) on public roads.
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SOURCE:BNN
