California is a state of many firsts. Being the first state to establish a medical marijuana program, and the first to create a law allowing gay couples to receive some marriage protection, it is only fitting that California become one of the first states to adopt a formal policy on self-driving cars. Beginning in 2015, self-driving cars will be allowed on public Californian roads with one condition: the vehicles must be certified for safety before they can enter the roadway.

For those of you who may not be familiar with the technology, a self-driving, or autonomous, car is able to sense its surroundings using technology such as radar, GPS, and computer vision. The car uses a well-developed control system to fulfill the sensory role of the driver, essentially doing the work of our eyes by attempting to identify suitable navigation paths as well as any upcoming obstructions or approaching signage.

California’s DMV has established multiple rules to go along with the new policy, and automakers designing these self-driving cars are now required to meet several demands before being cleared to drive on public roads.

Companies must first register their cars by identifying the specific make, model, model year, vehicle identification number and license plate of each vehicle to be tested.

Before each car is allowed to go through testing, a driver with a clean driving slate who has completed a training program designed by the manufacturer, and also recognized in writing by the DMV, is required to be in the driver seat, just in case.

These mandatory training programs for drivers are more than just your average driver’s education class. It is obligatory that these operators receive training in the autonomous technologies they will be dealing with, and they must also complete a defensive driving course matched to their own personal experience with autonomous technology, as well as the level of technical maturity of the automated system they will be operating.

 Should anything with testing go wrong, automakers must also be able to show that they will be able to handle the financial liability that will result. According to policy, California manufacturers are required to submit proof that they are able to pay for damages of up to $5 million, whether through insurance or a bond.

Because accidents happen, in the case that something does go wrong while testing the vehicle, the automaker must file a new Report of Traffic Accident Involving an Autonomous Vehicle within 10 days of the incident occurring.

If all of these requirements are met, and a $150 application fee is paid, only then will an automaker be granted a permit allowing them to begin testing their self-driving cars.

This new policy will officially become effective this September, but don’t expect roadways to be heavily populated with self-driving cars overnight.  For now, let’s just work on testing them.