Latest to Open the Roads to Driverless Cars: Washington D.C.

Following actions by the federal government and a few states, the nation’s capital recently published a set of rules regulating the operation of driverless cars.

1 minute read

April 8, 2014, 12:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Martin Austemuhle details the recent actions of Washington D.C. policymakers to establish a set of rules regarding the use of the autonomous vehicles, or driverless cars, of the future.

“On Friday, the D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles published a set of proposed rules that would govern the use of so-called autonomous vehicles — cars that have the ability to drive themselves. If the rules are adopted, D.C. would join a small number of states — including California, Florida[,] Michigan, and Nevada — that allow the cars to be used,” reports Austemuhle.

Among the regulations for the operation of driverless cars proposed by Washington D.C.: a requirement for a special endorsement from the D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles. The endorsement would require verification that the driverless controls could be overridden manually if necessary.

In June 2013, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued the federal government's initial policy to pave the way for driverless cars. Nevada was the first state to allow driverless cars, back in February 2012. 

Sunday, April 6, 2014 in WAMU

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 25, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Western U.S. indicating public lands that would be for sale under a Senate plan in yellow and green.

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands

For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

June 19, 2025 - Outdoor Life

Person wearing mask walking through temporary outdoor dining setup lined with bistro lights at dusk in New York City.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?

Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

June 19, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Close-up of full beer glass with purple train-themed design sitting on bar between two frosty tall cans.

Platform Pilsner: Vancouver Transit Agency Releases... a Beer?

TransLink will receive a portion of every sale of the four-pack.

June 30 - Cities Today

Vintage red Toronto streetcar passing in front of Rogers Arena in Toronto, Canada.

Toronto Weighs Cheaper Transit, Parking Hikes for Major Events

Special event rates would take effect during large festivals, sports games and concerts to ‘discourage driving, manage congestion and free up space for transit.”

June 30 - blogTO

Map of Berlin with ring roads in green and red.

Berlin to Consider Car-Free Zone Larger Than Manhattan

The area bound by the 22-mile Ringbahn would still allow 12 uses of a private automobile per year per person, and several other exemptions.

June 30 - Streetsblog USA

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.