Until now, any car without a human driver would not be considered roadworthy. But the letter suggests that Google's self-driving car system could soon be given the same legal definition as a human driver, paving the way for vehicles without steering wheels or pedals.
The letter said: "If no human occupant of the vehicle can actually drive the vehicle, it is more reasonable to identify the driver as whatever (as opposed to whoever) is doing the driving. In this instance, an item of motor vehicle equipment, the Self-Driving System, is actually driving the vehicle."
This means Google's self-driving pod, which has no typical in-car controls, is one step closer to being allowed on public roads.
It's the latest regulatory boost for Google after January’s announcement that the US government proposed a $4billion plan to implement consistent laws and regulations for self-driving cars across all states.
