Tech companies that make up self -driving technology have tapped the brakes to test on California public roads, according to new data From the department of state motor vehicles.
The agency reported Friday a total of 4.5 million autonomous vehicle trial miles in 2024, a 50% collapse from last year. That figure covers two types of permits: autonomous vehicles with human safety drivers behind the wheel and those who allow the no -trial trial.
The denial is more pronounced under the test category without the driver, according to the DMV, the agency that controls autonomous vehicle testing in the state. Records showed no driver trial that fell 83% from 3.26 million miles to 2023 to 552,895 miles last year.
DMV also released Annual disengagement reportdetailed the opportunities in which human drivers need to control due to technology failures or safety concerns. These reports have been controversial in the past because companies have used a variety of criteria, which is impossible to compare results oi -rate the skill of autonomous vehicle technology.
New figures reflect an industry with little players, Waymo's move to the commercial robotaxi operator, and the Suspensionand Ultimate shutteringof the cruise of the GM parent company.
Cruise and Waymo have history reported the highest trial mile. For example, the cruise of 2.6 million trial miles in 2023 until the DMV suspended its permits in October of that year. The company has never restarted a California test. Waymo moved from trial as it fills commercial operations in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
There has been a remarkable refusal for the past three years in the new permits issued by DMV for testing vehicles with a human driver. In 2022, four permits were issued. The following year, two new permits were granted. DMV only issued a new permit in 2024.
Today, only 31 companies hold permissions for testing to a safety driver-and among them, only 11 conducted public road trials in 2024. Nine companies submitted reports for the period of 2023-2024 stopped testing and withdrew from the program, according to the DMV. For example, Tesla, did not log any autonomous miles, every report.
Six companies, including Autox, Nuro, Weride, Waymo, and Zoox have been approved for testing without a driver. Only the Mercedes-Benz (which has an advanced driver aid system that allows No hand, no eye driving In some lanes), Nuro, and Waymo has permission to allow commercial operations.
This is the opposite of the contrast to the vulnerable and hyped days of autonomic vehicles when adventure funds flow and as many as 60 companies allow to test the so -called “driver” autonomous vehicle. A period of integration -included in the NASCENT industry in 2019.
Today, fewer companies are willing to pour millions in developing autonomous vehicle technology. Although there are some recent outliers. Wayve Raised $ 1 billion in May and Waymo Raised $ 5.6 billion in November.
The result is a short list of active participants – with Waymo in front, in terms of trial and commercial miles. Upshot is a combined -with -no -commercial industry.
