Road Cleared For Driverless Cars In Texas

Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a bill on Thursday that paves the way for Google and car makers to test self-driving cars in Texas. According to the Texas Tribune, there was nothing preventing companies from testing self-driving cars before today, but the law Abbott signed cleared up the issue of legality.

“The lack of laws credited a need for clarity,” state Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills, said at an April hearing on his bill.
Senate Bill 2205 requires driverless vehicles used on highways be capable of complying with all traffic laws, be equipped with video recording devices and be insured just like other cars. It also makes the manufacturer responsible for any broken traffic laws or car wrecks, as long as the automated driving system hasn’t been modified by anyone else.

The Texas Tribune also reported that Google has been testing their cars in Austin since 2015.