Uber gives up its rights to test self-driving cars in California

Uber will not renew its permit to test autonomous vehicles on California public roads when it expires Saturday. And the company will have some explaining to do if it wants to get a new permit.

California’s Department of Motor Vehicles told the ride-hailing service in a letter Tuesday that it will lose testing privileges after Saturday. If Uber wants to return, it will need a new permit and must address investigations into a fatal crash in Arizona last week.

On March 18, an Uber autonomous SUV struck and killed a pedestrian near Phoenix. Arizona’s governor suspended Uber’s self-driving privileges in that state Monday.

Uber decided last week to suspend tests on public roads in California, Pennsylvania, Arizona and Ontario.

An Uber spokesman says the company is preparing a statement.