Argo AI, an autonomous vehicle technology startup that was backed by Ford, VW and others, has been granted a permit in California. This permits the company to offer free rides on California's public roads in its self-driving vehicles.According to the approved application, the Drivered AV pilot permit was issued by the California Public Utilities Commission earlier this month. It was posted to its website Friday, just a few days after Argo and Ford announced plans for at least 1,000 self driving vehicles on Lyft's ride-hailing system in a variety of cities, beginning with Miami and Austin.This permit is part of the state's Autonomous Vehicle Passenger Service pilot. It places Argo in a small but growing group of companies looking to expand beyond traditional testing. It signals that some companies or the industry are ready for commercial operations. Since 2019, Argo has been testing autonomous vehicle technology in Ford vehicles all around Palo Alto. The company currently has about a dozen self-driving test cars in its test fleet.All of the CPUCs Drivered Autonomous Vehicle Passenger Service Pilot Program participants, including Aurora, AutoX and Cruise, Pony.ai. Voyage.ai. Zoox, Voyage.ai. Waymo, have been granted permits. This program requires that a human safety operator be behind the wheel. This permit allows companies to charge rides.Cruise is the only company that has obtained a driverless permit through the CPUC. This permits it to transport passengers in its test vehicles with no human safety operator.The journey to California commercialization is not complete without securing the CPUCs Drivered permit. Before a company can charge for ride in a robotaxis without a safety operator, it must first navigate the regulatory hurdles set by the CPUC and California Department of Motor Vehicles.The DMV issues permits to test autonomous vehicles on public roads. The DMW issues three types of permits. One allows companies to test AVs using public roads, while another allows them to use a safety operator. This basic testing permit is used by more than 60 companies.Next, a permit is required for driverless testing. Then comes a permit for deployment for commercial operations. Driverless testing permits are required for companies who want to start a delivery service or commercial robotaxi in the state. The DMV issues driverless permits to AutoX, Baidu and Cruise, as well as WeRide, Pony.ai (Waymo), WeRide, Zoox, and Pony.ai (AutoX).Nuro is the only person who has obtained a deployment permit. Nuro can deploy on a commercial scale with this permit. The company can bypass the CPUC permitting process by using Nuros vehicles that cannot hold passengers but only cargo.In May 2018, the CPUC approved two pilot programs to transport passengers in autonomous vehicles. Argo has just obtained the Drivered Autonomous Vehicle Passenger Service Pilot Program. This program allows companies to offer ride-hailing services using autonomous vehicles, provided they adhere to specific rules. Companies cannot charge rides and must have a human safety driver behind the wheel. Additionally, certain data must be reported every quarter.Cruise obtained the second CPUC pilot in June 2021, which allows for driverless passenger service.Noting that commercial robotaxis is the ultimate goal, companies must obtain all permits from DMV and CPUC.
