Yandex begins testing self-driving cars in Michigan

Moscow-based tech giant Yandex today announced it has expanded testing of its self-driving cars to Michigan. A fleet of Yandex's driverless vehicles recently hit Ann Arbor city streets, including the company's fourth-generation autonomous Hyundai Sonatas created in partnership with Hyundai Mobis. Yandex says it had planned to provide rides in its autonomous taxis in Detroit during the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), which was scheduled to take place in June. The company had already done a significant amount of preparatory work by mid-spring, so when NAIAS was canceled in April, Yandex began searching for a Michigan location to facilitate longer-term commercial testing. Yandex says Michigan's "progressive" and "supportive" regulatory environment will enable "rapid" development and advancement.