Mar 11, 2017 - Technology

California prepares for fully driverless cars later this year

AP Photo/Eric Risberg

California is laying the groundwork to regulate self-driving cars, according to new regulations the state's DMV published on Friday.

The state plans to allow for testing of fully driverless cars on public road by the end of the year. Now vehicles need to have controls like a steering wheel and pedals and a safety driver who can take over when needed, but that will no longer be the case if manufacturers meet federal standards or get an exemption. Driverless cars will need a remote operator who can monitor their operation and communicate with passengers.

High demand: There are already more than two dozen companies testing self-driving technology in California, including Alphabet's Waymo, Tesla, and Uber, which obtained its permit this week after a disagreement with DMV.

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Axios
Updated 1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 6:30 p.m. ET: 34,124,948 — Total deaths: 1,016,723 — Total recoveries: 23,703,113 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 6:30 p.m. ET: 7,273,244 — Total deaths: 207,605 — Total recoveries: 2,840,747 — Total tests: 103,946,170 — Map.
  3. Politics: House prepares to pass revised COVID relief bill as White House talks hit roadblock — Biden to expand voter outreach with in-person canvassing amid pandemic.
  4. Health: Health officials urge flu shots, warning of "twindemic" with COVID-19 — Coronavirus infections rise in 25 states.
  5. Business: Remdesivir is good business for Gilead — Amazon says over 19,800 employees contracted coronavirus — Doomsday has arrived for tens of thousands of workers.
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Ursula Perano
3 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Doomsday has arrived for tens of thousands of workers

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Federal coronavirus aid for airlines expires on Thursday with no renewal in sight, meaning massive layoffs for the industry aren't far behind.

The big picture: Airline workers aren't alone on the unemployment line. Oil companies, tire manufacturers, book publishers and insurers are among those that have announced tens of thousands of layoffs. Federal aid through the CARES Act earlier this year delayed most layoffs — until now.

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Alison Snyder, author of Science
4 hours ago - Science

How the brain handles the unknown

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Uncertainty can be hard for humans. It drives anxiety, an emotion neuroscientists are trying to understand and psychologists are trying to better treat.

Why it matters: Under the threat of a virus, job insecurity, election uncertainty, and a general pandemic life-in-limbo that is upending school, holidays and more, people are especially anxious.

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