Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your go-to source for news and analysis on the future of transportation. Sign up for free here to receive this in your inbox — simply click TechCrunch Mobility!. Today, we’re taking a deeper dive, so this newsletter might appear a bit different from the usual. There’s a reason! This newsletter isn’t limited to any particular region, though certain state-level policies occasionally carry broad ramifications for both tech companies and startups. This leads me to California and the new autonomous vehicle testing and deployment regulations released this week by the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles. The rules consist of two new sets—totaling 2,700 pages—that outline requirements for AV testing and deployment. Over the past few days, I talked with engineers and policy experts at AV companies and learned they hold firm views but few are willing to discuss them publicly. However, the public comment period on these regulations provides insight into what the industry supported and what it opposed. The regulations introduce stronger requirements for data collection and sharing, training, and operations.
