Virginia

Self-Driving Cars May Soon Be Tested on Virginia Highways

The state of Virginia is moving forward with testing the possibility of allowing autonomous, or self-driving, cars on express lanes of Interstates 95 and 495 in northern Virginia.

WTOP-FM reports Virginia's transportation board is set to approve an agreement on Wednesday that would permit new testing to move forward. The deal involves the Virginia Department of Transportation, the company operating express lanes, and the Federal Highway Administration's Operations Research and Development office.

Tests would focus on whether autonomous vehicles could communicate with each other and successfully run in the same lanes as regular traffic.

The tests would also determine what wireless communication tools may be needed to keep the self-driving vehicles on track.

Some tests would require express lanes to be closed, others could be conducted during "light traffic conditions."

Copyright The Associated Press
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