Uber won't renew California license to test AVs

Uber will not renew its permit to test self-driving cars in California following the fatal crash involving one of its vehicles in Tempe, Ariz.

The company suspended its public road testing in Arizona, California, Pittsburgh and Toronto immediately after the crash. In a letter to Uber sent Tuesday, the California Department of Motor Vehicles said the company had not indicated it would renew its testing license when it expires March 31, the San Francisco Chronicle first reported.

"Uber has indicated it will not renew its current permit to test autonomous vehicles in California," Brian Soublet, the DMV's chief counsel, wrote to Austin Heyworth, public affairs manager at Uber.

The letter also stated that to renew the license, Uber would have to address any investigations resulting from the Arizona crash and meet with the agency. Uber did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Uber said it would not reapply for a permit as part of the suspension of its vehicles from public roads.

“We decided to not reapply for a California DMV permit with the understanding that our self-driving vehicles would not operate on public roads in the immediate future,” an Uber spokeswoman said in a statement.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey said Monday that Uber was barred from testing in the state following the crash.

Uber has had a fraught relationship with the California DMV since it began testing in the state without a permit in December 2016. After the agency ordered the company to stop testing, Uber publicly shipped its cars to Arizona as Ducey tweeted the company was welcome to test in the state.

The ride-hailing giant obtained a permit to test in California in March 2017, resuming public road tests in San Francisco. All tests were halted last week, when a test vehicle operating in autonomous mode struck and killed 49-year-old Elaine Herzberg as she was crossing the street in Tempe.