Starting September 1, fully autonomous cars will require a permit to operate in Texas. This new restriction comes after Governor Greg Abbott signed SB 2807 into law, which requires a permit from the state Department of Motor Vehicles for self-driving cars to be operated on city streets without human intervention.
The signing of the new law coincides with the launch of Tesla‘s robotaxi service in Austin, where invited guests were able to ride in fully autonomous Model Ys. Although the law will only come into effect in a few months, the launch of Tesla’s robot taxi service could circumvent this new regulation, as all rides are accompanied by a human “safety monitor” in the front passenger seat.
In the coming months, the new Texas law may prove to be more than just a headache for Tesla. In addition to permits, the upcoming law allows state authorities to revoke permits and requires companies to provide police and first responders with information on how to handle self-driving cars in an emergency. While this could be a major hurdle for Tesla, it is also likely to affect Waymo, as it currently operates an autonomous ride service in Austin.
