Following a year of self-driving cars legally testing on public roads, California is ready to take things a step further by relaxing the rules surrounding testing. Soon, companies will be able to test their autonomous car prototypes on public roads without a driver, even as backup. That’s...Read More»
Back in 2014, Google unveiled its first self-driving car, and boy, did it turn heads. The company's autonomous technology wasn't the only thing that got people's attention, it was also the car's design--specifically, its lack of a steering wheel or pedals for acceleration and braking. Google's...Read More»
If we learned nothing else in grade school, we learned that going first is a scary thing. You're expected to wow everyone watching, and you set the tone for all the folks that follow. It's a big risk, and a big responsibility. California is feeling those kinds of jitters right about now, as it's...Read More»
Over the past 24 hours, there's been an abundance of news about autonomous cars. Here's a recap of the three most notable items, involving California's long-awaited announcement of self-driving car rules, Google's business plans, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk's defense of Tesla's autonomous tech...Read More»
Specialty license plates have become big business in recent years, but they've brought their share of troubles, too. While some plates feature innocuous school crests or happy, friendly natural landscapes, others court controversy with politically charged slogans. That's made things tough for DMVs...Read More»
Some people are worried about the arrival of autonomous cars. For example: 1. People who like to drive. 2. People who think they can drive better than a computer. 3. People worried about the cost of autonomous technology. For others, though, the self-driving revolution can't come soon enough. The...Read More»
Way back in 2012, California Governor Jerry brown signed SB 1298 into law, which allowed autonomous vehicles and their non-drivers to roam the state's roads with impunity. But as Cnet points out, that was just the first step toward granting legal status to self-driving cars: manufacturers and...Read More»
UPDATED: A DMV spokesperson has offered some clarification. See below. If you've ever had a run-in with the Department of Motor Vehicles, this may not come as much of a shock: the DMV in San Diego, California recently sent out 13,000 notices to car owners, saying that they're due for a smog check...Read More»
For most of us, the lines, the crowds, and the oppressive waits in a visit to the local DMV office are aspects of being a driver we grudgingly accept. Once every year or two (or several years, if we're lucky or deal only with dealerships), we head there to renew our license, take a test, or fill...Read More»
Last week we wrote about New York State's plan to issue new license plates, ostensibly to replace old ones whose reflective material may have worn off. The new and clearly retro design was meant to evoke the bright yellow plates used from 1973 to 1986. But in reality, the sole purpose of the $25...Read More»
Obviously you have to replace license plates now and then. Among other reasons, the reflective material wears off. And besides, that way cops can tell if a car hasn't been re-registered in, ohhh, several years. Like many states, New York is grappling with major budget deficits. Now it has turned to...Read More»
