Singapore has an ambitious, organized driverless plan that includes trials for trucks and transit as well as mobility on demand - otherwise known as taxi, ride hailing, or Uber-like service. (Yes, I am starting to use "Uber" as a generic noun.)
One more piece of news from Asia is activity in China. Baidu is set to produce driverless buses to be ready for operation in 2018.
Europe
UK transport officials have met with Google staff multiple times about regulation that will allow driverless transportation on UK roads. Supposedly, England is forging ahead and intends to be a leader. I would add that the Telegraph is the best provider of journalism on the Google/UK topic.
And here is a boring Swiss video from Rinspeed with a very conventional looking car, though it has a retractable steering wheel. Also, it's a personal vehicle, complete with creepy "I'm helping you" - you, specifically - technology. Again, boring. I dare you to make it to the end of the video. I did not.
Step back in California?
California's proposed - not adopted yet - law would require a licensed human driver to be present in every driverless vehicle being operated. Do they not get the whole point of driverless transportation from calling a vehicle to pick up a friend at the station, to deliver pizza, or to park itself? And what about sending the driverless transit bus to the start of its route? I could go on.
If this bill passes, Google, Tesla, and others will concentrate their testing and - maybe soon - sales strategy in other states. Texas, Arizona, and Florida, for top-of-my-head examples, would love to welcome more driverless activity.
Tidbits
Ford to begin testing fully driverless cars on California roads. The car company is partnering with Pivotal Software.
Kia to do driverless testing in Nevada.
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