REUTERS/Toby Melville
California has revoked registrations for 16 of Uber’s self-driving cars. The car service and California have been locked in debate over the company’s recent deployment of semi-autonomous vehicles in San Francisco. The cars are self-piloted but require a driver behind the wheel at all times. California warned Uber that the cars required a self-driving test permit before they could be released on the roads. But because the cars require an Uber employee in the driver’s seat, Uber has argued that the cars are not self-driving and do not need to pass the test. In a Wednesday statement, California reaffirmed its position that the cars are self-driving and lack the necessary permits.
“Consistent with the department’s position that Uber’s vehicles are autonomous vehicles, the DMV has taken action to revoke the registration of 16 vehicles owned by Uber,” the California Department of Motor Vehicles wrote. “It was determined that the registrations were improperly issued for these vehicles because they were not properly marked as test vehicles. Concurrently the department invited Uber to seek a permit so their vehicles can operate legally in California.”