GM, Lyft to Test Self-Driving Electric Taxis

General Motors Co. and Lyft Inc. will begin testing a fleet of self-driving Chevrolet Bolt electric taxis on public roads within a year, a move central to the companies' joint efforts to challenge Silicon Valley giants in the battle to reshape the auto industry.

The plan is being hatched a few months after GM invested $500 million in Lyft, a ride-hailing company that rivals Uber Technologies Inc. The program will rely on technology the being acquired as part of GM's separate $1 billion planned purchase of San Francisco-based Cruise Automation Inc., which has been working on self-driving technology for about two years.

From what I've read, these self-driving cars still need a driver in the front seat. Just in case an emergency happens at least someone can take over the car. However, how can it be a driverless car with that inclusion? For now, no state has even allowed a self-driving car to be driven without a driver in it.

I think, for now and maybe even 10 years from now, it's still not possible to have cars without drivers. Until the technology is perfected, then we cannot really have these driverless cars.

Another question that comes up in my mind is that do the passengers need to have driver's licenses as well? Anyway, I guess we can only know after a couple of more years.