Google Gets First Driverless Car License: Strings Attached

A Toyota Prius outfitted by Google to drive itself is about to get that token of independence for which so many teens anxiously wait: a license. Yes, the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles has approved the first-ever license for an autonomous test vehicle.

(Related Photos: Amazing Transportation Inventions)

On Monday, the state agency revealed a red license plate marked with an infinity symbol for Google’s self-driving Prius and announced plans to formally present the license on May 23. This futuristic, modified hybrid uses GPS, artificial intelligence, cameras, and sensors to navigate the Las Vegas Strip, desert highways, and other public roadways without help from human occupants.

Like a learner’s permit for teenage drivers, however, the license has limits. Two licensed drivers are

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