[Others]

I don't think this a case of the car being so careful that it got pulled over. It mentions in the article that Google artificially capped the speed of the prototype to 25mph. That implies that the car is able and willing to go faster, but Google doesn't feel comfortable going that fast yet. (I don't buy their stated PR reason for the cap.)

[lern_too_spel]

The cap is legally mandated, for safety reasons. They are not regulated for safety in high speed crashes. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-speed_vehicle

[MertsA]

The cap is 35 mph according to the link here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10558220

It looks like Google limited it to 25 mph on their own accord.

[jacobolus]

You are misunderstanding. They can drive on roads with 35 as a posted limit, but are limited to driving 25 mph themselves. The law sets the cap, not Google.

From https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?1dmy&urile=wcm:path:/dmv_...

An NEV/LSV is a motor vehicle that:

- Has four wheels.

- Within one mile can reach a speed of more than 20 miles per hour (mph) but not more than 25 mph on a paved level surface.

...

Local authorities, by ordinance or resolution, may restrict or prohibit the use of NEVs/LSVs. An NEV/LSV may:

- Not be operated on any roadway with a speed limit above 35 mph.

...