Alphabet’s Waymo Can Now Test Fully Driverless Vehicles in California

As Waymo parent Alphabet (GOOGL) prepares to release its 1Q18 results, investors should note that California started accepting applications for permits to test fully driverless cars on its public roads this month. California previously required self-driving vehicles on its roads to have a human backup driver ready to take control of the vehicle when necessary. California’s requirement that there must be a human driver inside a self-driving vehicle led Waymo, Ford Motor (F), Uber and others to look elsewhere to test their self-driving vehicles without a backup driver inside.