Governor Kasich signed an executive order on Wednesday to authorize autonomous vehicle testing in Ohio and to lay out a roadmap for how the automotive industry can test their technologies in the state.

Kasich says Ohio is well positioned to lead in developing the cars of the future. 

"We have the diversity in weather and terrain that are essential to advancing these new technologies. The sooner these vehicles are safely fine-tuned, the sooner they can make a significant reduction in the 40,000 traffic deaths we have in this country every year," says Kasich.

The executive order authorizes researchers to test on Ohio roadways as long as their vehicle meet safety requirements and are capable of complying with traffic regulations.

Each car must have a designated operator who is an employee of the company performing the tests as well as a valid driver's license. Designated operators will be required to monitor the vehicle at all times and report any accidents that occur. 

The order also requests that researchers register their vehicles with Drive Ohio. 

Drive Ohio is the state's new one-stop shop for mobility initiatives by providing more information n the vehicle and where they wish to test it. DriveOhio was created by Governor Kasich in January to bring together those responsible for building infrastructure in Ohio with those who are developing the advanced mobility technologies.