LEE COUNTY, Fla. -- Self-driving vehicles will soon be able to operate in Florida without a human on board.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a measure in Polk County on Thursday morning, allowing autonomous vehicles on all roads as long as the vehicles meet new insurance and safety requirements.
At a conference in Bonita Springs, the governor told Fox 4 that this will exempt people inside self-driving cars from laws banning texting while driving.
"I signed a bill to make texting while driving a primary offense. It's bad for safety. Well, if the autonomous vehicles, as that technology develops...if that works well, you could potentially increase safety on the road," said DeSantis.
The new law takes effect July 1st. So far, 29 states have passed laws ranging from permitting testing of such vehicles to allowing them without humans.
