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Desert Hot Springs, CA PERMIT NO 00005
Friday, March 2, 2018 Vol. 12 No. 19
No Human Needed
The self-driving delivery vehicle from Silicon Valley startup Nuro, shown in San Francisco, California, January 30, 2018 © Nuro/Handout / Reuters By Desert Star Staff California has paved the way for driverless cars to cruise the highways… eventually. New rules mean that a human will no longer need to be present in test vehicles. On Monday, California’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) announced new rules that will allow self-driving vehicles on the
road without a person in the car for safety. The rules will come into effect on April 2. Under the new rules, tech companies working on driverless vehicle systems can begin trials of driverless cars without a safety driver at the wheel. Until now, the DMV has allowed driverless cars to be tested only if a safety driver is on hand to take over.
KMIR NBC News Palm Springs, CA The asking price for Frank Sinatra’s former Southern California desert compound has been slashed. For more than a year now, the rustic retreat has sat on the market with a price tag of $3.9 million. According to the listing, the price has been reduced to $3.69 million When Sinatra put down roots in a rocky landscape just outside of Palm Springs, he did it his way, designing the rustic retreat fit to entertain a long list of celebrities and dignitaries. Nearly 50 years later, Ol’ Blue Eyes’ desert hideaway in the mountains above Palm Desert has been
listed with surrounding land parcels included. The Los Angeles Times reports the current homeowners, who knew the legendary singer from his days performing in Las Vegas, have meticulously maintained and restored the 1967 compound Sinatra named Villa Maggio. The lavish estate, which sits on 7.5 acres, is comprised of three separate houses with a total of nine bedrooms, 13.5 bathrooms and nine fireplaces. Head outdoor and there is a helipad, swimming pool, tennis court and dance floor, where we can only imagine the crooner and his Rat Pack pals put on a show for guests. Source: KMIR
“This is a major step forward for autonomous technology in California,” DMV Director Jean Shiomoto said in a statement. “Safety is our top concern and we are ready to begin working with manufacturers that are prepared to test fully driverless vehicles in California.” However, ordinary mortals won’t be hitching a ride in a
driverless car anytime soon. Companies wishing to test these vehicles need to secure a special permit from the DMV. In 2014, California became the first state to establish rules for testing autonomous vehicles on public roads. The state has so far awarded a license to test self-driving technology to 50 companies. California is the most
populous state in the US, with almost 40 million residents. Many of the most prominent driverless tech companies are based in the Golden State. Some consumer advocates have expressed dismay over the decision, however. “A remote test operator will be allowed to monitor Continues on Page 3
Frank Sinatra’s Rustic Retreat in Palm Springs Gets a Price Cut