Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

California Gives Didi Chuxing Self-Driving Test Permit

The state's DMV updated its list of 53 companies that have received permits to test self-driving technology in California on May 10.

May 15, 2018
California Gives Didi Chuxing Self-Driving Test Permit

Didi Research North America's Moutain View Lab. Photo: Didi Chuxing

2 min to read


China-based ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing’s U.S. division, Didi Research North America, is the latest entity to receive a permit from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to test autonomous vehicles in the state.

Didi opened its U.S. research lab in Mountain View in March 2017, reports Tech Crunch.

Ad Loading...

In February, the DMV released its new rules for testing autonomous vehicles in the state. The new rules focused on testing done without a driver. Now, vehicle manufacturers must obtain a driverless testing or deployment permit if they wish to test vehicles without a driver or allow the general population to use their self-driving technology.

Other requirements include certifying that the autonomous test vehicle is capable of operating without the presence of a driver and meet the autonomous technology description of the Society of Automotive Engineers Level 4 or 5 vehicles; ensuring vehicle have a connected communication link to a remote operator and law enforcement; and, informing the DMV of all intended operational design domains.

Photo: Jaguar MENA/Flickr

The DMV updated its list of 53 companies that have received permits to test self-driving technology in California May 10.

The full list of companies that have been granted permits includes: Volkswagen Group of America, Mercedes Benz, Waymo, Delphi Automotive, Tesla Motors, Bosch, Nissan, GM Cruise, BMW, Honda, Ford Zoox, Inc., Drive.ai, Faraday & Future Inc., Baidu USA, Valeo North America, Inc., NIO USA, Inc., Telenav, Inc., NVIDIA Corporation, AutoX Technologies Inc., Subaru, Udacity, Navya, Renovo.auto, PlusAi, Nuro, CarOne, Apple, Bauer’s Intelligent Transportation, Pony.AI, TuSimple, Jingchi Corp, SAIC Innovation Center, Almotive Inc., Aurora Innovation, Nullmax, Samsung Electronics, Continental Automotive Systems Inc., Voyage, CYNGN, Roadstar.Ai, Changan Automobile, Lyft, Phantom AI, Qualcomm Technologies, aiPod, SF Motors Inc., Toyota Research Institute, Apex.Al, Intel Corp., Ambarella Corporation, and Gatik AI.

Not on the list of permitted companies? Uber. The technology company decided to suspend its autonomous vehicle testing following the death of a pedestrian in Arizona earlier this year.

Ad Loading...

Uber’s California permit expired March 31.

Related Content: Volkswagen, Didi Chuxing in Talks to Co-Create Autonomous Vehicles

More Rental Operations

thumbnail what does it take to succeed in b2b rentals
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 12, 2026

What Does It Take to Succeed in B2B Rentals?

The fundamentals may be familiar to daily car rental operators, but project-based truck rentals put different demands on the fleet and the business.

Read More →
Photo of Ana Laborde and world map
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 12, 2026

NPR Builds on International Partnerships to Grow Rental Bookings

With Ana Laborde supporting broker development, NPR Auto Group is tailoring distribution strategies, rate packages, and partnerships to grow international reservations across its three brands.

Read More →
Rental car agent shows woman her choice of rental car
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 7, 2026

Advantage, Sixt Place Among Top Five in Annual Satisfaction Study

While Enterprise and National retain the top spots in JD Power’s 2026 rankings, the latest customer satisfaction results suggest renters can find competitive service beyond the biggest car rental names.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
an exotic car wrapped in an insurance policy
Rental Operations•October 1, 2026

The $100,000 Insurance Trap in Exotic Car Rentals

Exotic rental agencies often rely on customers’ personal auto policies to protect six-figure vehicles. But policy language can dramatically change the coverage for vehicles over $100,000 MSRP.

Read More →
globe of world and drivers license from UK
Rental Operations•September 28, 2026

The Booking Is Confirmed, But Is Your Customer Ready to Drive?

For international renters, a confirmed reservation doesn’t always mean they’re eligible to drive. Earlier checks can help operators catch documentation and payment issues before the customer reaches the counter.

Read More →
Scenes from Car Rental Shows past
Rental Operations•by Staff•September 23, 2026

ICRS 2027 Opens Call for Papers

The International Car Rental Show seeks session proposals on the business, operational, and technology issues facing car rental operators. Submissions are due Jan. 15.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
hand holding phone and Turo logo
Rental Operations•by Staff•September 21, 2026

Turo to Launch Vehicle Delivery Service

Turo Delivered will let travelers search for vehicles that hosts can deliver directly to hotels, homes, airports, train stations, and other locations.

Read More →
plane, palm trees, car rental sign
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•September 15, 2026

Palm Beach Airport Code Change Creates Car Rental Distribution Gap

A test of rental searches under the old PBI and new DJT airport codes returned largely different sets of brands and vehicles, highlighting a potential distribution problem for rental operators.

Read More →
Team members of U-Save's new franchise
Rental Operations•by Staff•September 15, 2026

U-Save Continues Dominican Republic Expansion with Launch in Punta Cana

The new franchise location builds on U-Save’s existing Santo Domingo operation and will begin taking reservations for October 2026.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A traveler searches for rental cars with an AI bot
Rental Operations•September 14, 2026

When AI Books the Rental Car, Who Controls the Sale?

As AI moves from comparing rental rates to completing transactions, operators need to understand how travelers find, interpret, rank, and ultimately see their offers. (Part 2 of 2.)

Read More →
Ad Loading...