California allows companies to charge for autonomous car rides

One of the most common potential scenarios involving autonomous cars is using them as driverless taxis; both Uber and Lyft have made self-driving cars a big part of their future strategies. The possibility of hopping into a ride without a driver just got a little closer, at least in California -- as spotted by The Verge, California approved two new autonomous driving programs last week that let companies charge fares for autonomous rides. The two new programs are the "Drivered Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Program" and the "Driverless Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Program," both of which allow approved participants to offer "passenger service, shared rides, and accept monetary compensation for rides in autonomous vehicles." Naturally, interested companies need to get the necessary permits and show the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) that they're taking the proper safety measure. They'll need to get a AV Deployment Permit from California's DMV as well as one of two permits issued by CPUC.