After California revoked the registrations on Uber’s self-driving cars, Arizona officials are touting the state as the ideal to test the vehicles. According to Engadget, the Uber fleet of customized Volvo XC90 SUVs shipped out for Arizona on one of the company’s Otto trucks Thursday morning, and will start rolling out there “in the next few weeks.”
The Arizona Department of Transportation says what makes Arizona the ideal place is the fact that the state does not require special permits or licensing to test autonomous vehicle technology. Arizona, autonomous vehicles have the same registration requirements as any other vehicle, and nothing in state law prevents testing autonomous vehicles.
In 2015, Governor Doug Ducey signed an executive order supporting the testing and operation of self-driving vehicles in Arizona. That included creating a Self-Driving Vehicle Oversight Committee designed to work with companies developing autonomous vehicle technology to create the most supportive environment possible while also promoting public safety.