Apple gets the OK to test autonomous cars in California
The company joins Alphabet and Tesla in the race to build self-driving vehicles.
California will soon have yet another company's self-driving vehicles navigating its roadways. The Department of Motor Vehicles granted Apple an autonomous vehicle testing permit on Friday, enabling the company to use public roadways in its autonomous systems experiments.
Apple isn't the first company to employ California's transportation infrastructure as a giant R&D lab. Alphabet, Tesla and Uber (after some cajoling) have already applied for, and been granted, similar permits.
This news comes as California is warming to the idea of being a high-tech testbed. The DMV recently announced that it would be adjusting its rules to make it easier for companies to test their cars in the state. GM also announced this week that it is dramatically expanding its self-driving vehicle operations in San Francisco and hire 1600 people by 2021.
