The Texas legislature is close to introducing new rules for autonomous vehicles. Companies using driverless commercial trucks and cars will need specific permits and registrations.

Why it matters: This change aims to improve regulation and track the performance of driverless fleets. Right now, federal rules only require reporting crashes.

• Only fleets are affected. Privately-owned driverless cars are not included.
• Senator Robert Nichols said, "If you want to operate without a driver, we want to know about it."

What's next: The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles will handle the permit process, keeping an eye on issues and possibly restricting driverless vehicles if needed, according to an Houston Chronicle.

Lawmakers' stance: They support innovation in autonomous technology but stress the need for clear rules to maintain safety and accountability in the industry.

The legislation is still in the proposal phase, and details are being fine-tuned. No accidents related to driverless trucks have prompted this move, according to recent discussions.