Autonomous automobile startup Argo AI has secured a allow to begin giving free rides to shoppers in California.

The corporate might now provide rides so long as it has human security operators in charge of its autos. The corporate introduced the event final week on Twitter, calling it “a fantastic step that enhances the testing we’re doing in & round Palo Alto.” Argo turns into the ninth firm to get a inexperienced mild from the California Public Utilities Fee to conduct “drivered pilot” applications with passengers aboard. Thus far, solely Cruise, an AV firm backed by Basic Motors, is allowed to conduct driverless assessments with passengers. It secured the driverless allow in June.

Argo, which is backed by Ford Motor Co., nabbed the drivered allow days after it introduced a partnership with Lyft Inc. to supply driverless ride-hailing companies in Miami and Austin, Texas. The businesses indicated they plan to deploy roughly 1,000 self-driving autos in cities the place Argo is conducting assessments.

Argo has about one dozen take a look at autos in California. It additionally has AVs in Austin, Detroit, Miami, Pittsburgh and Washington.