California threatens legal action against Uber unless it stops self-driving cars

California’s chief law officer Kamala Harris threatened legal action against Uber unless it “immediately” eliminates its self-driving from the roads of San Francisco.

The danger from the workplace of the outgoing attorney general was contained in a letter provided to the public Friday shortly after Uber stated it would defy state policies, a move the company stated was “an important issue of principle”.

Twenty companies have been authorized to test self-driving automobiles in California, as per the DMV. Uber is not one of them, and the company is choosing not to comply with the same rules as its rivals– a bold move that critics argue programs overlook for the law and public security.

Friday’s development hints a dramatic conflict between Uber and California state authorities, amid mounting anger in San Francisco at Uber’s refusal to abide by the very same rules as other companies.

Harris, belonging to Democratic party, was recently elected to the US senate. The letter from lawyers in her office stated they were acting on a demand from California’s department of motor vehicles (DMV).

The DMV ordered Uber to either eliminate its self-driving cars from the roadway or acquire an approval on Wednesday, the first day the ride-hailing company started a trial of its self-driving taxis in San Francisco without approval.

The letter alerts that if Uber does not get rid of the cars from the roadway till it acquires a approval, the attorney general of the United States will “seek injunctive and other appropriate relief”.

Earlier Friday, Uber explained it had no intention of pulling back.

Anthony Levandowski, the head of Uber’s self-driving auto program, said the guidelines do not apply to the company’s fleet of automobiles because of its specific form of technology they are using.