Uber Steps Downs From Its Pedestal, To Apply For Permit With California DMV

It would seem that Uber finally realized that it is not above the law and by extension, the rest of the American people when it comes to applying for permits. After a contentious bout with California’s Department of Motor Vehicles, in which the cab-hailing company was forced out of the state and move to Arizona, it would seem that CEO Travis Kalanick has come to his senses and decided to file an application.

Uber made its reversal on Thursday when it said that it would apply for the necessary permits at the California DMV in order to be allowed to conduct road tests for its self-driving cabs, The Mercury News reports. This development comes on the heels of a series of scandals plaguing the company, starting with the revelation by a former programmer that she was being sexually harassed and that Uber did nothing about it.

The renegade startup made no mention of when it will bring back its autonomous vehicles to California if its request for a permit is approved. However, a spokesperson for the company reiterated that Uber is still completely committed to servicing the state’s passengers with driverless vehicles.

At the time of writing, it would seem that Uber has yet to actually submit its application, Gizmodo reports. When the publication contacted the cab-hailing firm to comment on the issue, the spokesperson responded through an email.

“These cars are legally registered and are being driven manually. We are taking steps to complete our application to apply for a DMV testing permit,” the email read. “As we said in December, Uber remains 100 percent committed to California.”

The company has provided no indication that would explain its decision to suddenly comply with the law. However, the fact that Uber is now also looking at a lawsuit from Waymo that could destroy its business infrastructure could be a significant factor.