This company is testing self-driving cars in New York City for the first time

Mobileye, an Israeli self-driving technology company owned by Intel, has become the first company to test fully self-driving cars on New York City's streets.

While a number of companies test cars in California and Arizona, New York hasn't generally been used as a test site. New York is home to crowded streets, challenging driving dynamics -- aggressive drivers combined with equally rule-averse pedestrians and cyclists -- and highly variable weather. Also, the state has a law specifically requiring drivers to keep at least one hand on the steering wheel at all times. But Mobileye has received a special permit so that the "safety drivers" in its vehicles can keep their hands entirely off the steering wheel. Its test cars can also operate without police escorts, something that has generally been required for any hands-free driving in the city.