On March 6, 2018, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) and GoMentum Station announced that permission was granted and testing of autonomous vehicles on public roads will begin at Bishop Ranch. This is the first time the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has allowed a shared autonomous vehicle to travel on public roads in the state. This is a historic moment, and an especially proud one for CCTA.

Photo Source: Contra Costa Transportation Authority

CCTA is the first to receive permission from the DMV to test an autonomous shuttle on public roads in California

We were first to bring this technology to North America, and the first to get legislation that exempted our pilot project from a steering wheel, brake pedal and an operator, and now we're the first to receive permission from the DMV to test an autonomous shuttle on public roads in California. But it was never our goal to be first, it has always been our goal to be the safest.

After successful testing at the GoMentum Station autonomous vehicle proving grounds in Concord, California and in parking lots at Bishop Ranch, CCTA is advancing to the third phase of testing, which includes public streets within the business park.

CCTA received permission from the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in October 2017 and permission from the California DMV in January 2018, to operate the EasyMile shuttle on public streets within the business park.

Since we get asked this question all the time, I do feel that I need to clarify that as we move into the third phase of testing, members of the general public will not be able to ride the shared autonomous vehicles on public streets. The vehicles are currently staffed by trained testers.

It is anticipated that during the upcoming year, additional predetermined testers and evaluators chosen from employees of various employers within Bishop Ranch will be able to ride the vehicles as they traverse public streets within the business park.