Although the company has been testing the vehicles at its facilities since 2009, the move marks the first time they’ve hit public roads.

We’ve been running the vehicles through rigorous testing at our test facilities, and ensuring our software and sensors work as they’re supposed to on this new vehicle. The new prototypes will use the same software as its existing fleet of self-driving Lexus RX450h SUVs and will have their speed capped at 25mph.

The latest phase of the project will also see the addition of safety drivers aboard with a removable steering wheel, accelerator pedal, and brake pedal that allow them to take over driving if needed.

Chris Urmson, director, Google Self-Driving Car Project, said: “We’re looking forward to learning how the community perceives and interacts with the vehicles, and to uncovering challenges that are unique to a fully self-driving vehicle—e.g., where it should stop if it can’t stop at its exact destination due to construction or congestion. In the coming years, we’d like to run small pilot programs with our prototypes to learn what people would like to do with vehicles like this. If you’d like to follow updates about the project and share your thoughts, please join us on our Google+ page. See you on the road!”