After carrying out demonstrations on the Las Vegas Strip and in Carson City to gauge the safety of Google’s auto-pilot cars, officials at Nevada’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) revealed in a Monday statement that Google has been issued the country’s first license for the testing self-driving cars on public streets.

According to the details shared by the DMV officials, Google’s application for a license to test drive its self-driving Toyota Prius on Nevada roads has been approved, after it was proved via demonstrations that the auto-pilot cars were as safe - or may be even safer - than those driven by a human.

The modified Prius boasts self-driving vehicle technology which guides the car by working like auto-pilot, requiring hardly any intervention from a human operator. The vehicle detects traffic – including pedestrians, cyclists and other vehicles – with the help of the lasers that are mounted on the roof and in the grill.

In accordance with Nevada's regulations, the Prius self-driving test vehicle will require the presence of two people in the car at all times; and the car will also bear license plates with a red background as well as an infinity symbol to distinguish it from other vehicles on the road.

Noting that the “unique red plate will be easily recognized by the public and law enforcement, and will be used only for licensed autonomous test vehicles,” DMV Director Bruce Breslow said that the use of the infinity symbol was probably the “best way to represent the ‘car of the future’.”