California’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has announced new regulations for autonomous vehicles (AVs), including a process for police to issue a “notice of AV noncompliance” directly to the car’s manufacturer. The rules, set to take effect on July 1, are being called “the most comprehensive AV regulations in the nation” by the DMV.
The new rules are part of a broader 2024 law imposing deeper regulation on autonomous vehicle technology. As fully self-driving robotaxis from companies like Waymo become increasingly common in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles County, law enforcement has faced an awkward challenge: when a driverless car violates traffic laws, there is no driver to hand the ticket to.
In September last year, police officers in San Bruno noticed a Waymo autonomous vehicle making an illegal U-turn at a traffic light. When officers stopped the car, they were unable to issue a ticket without a driver. Instead, they contacted the company to report the “glitch.”
Under the new regulations, police can cite AV companies when their vehicles commit moving violations. Companies will also be required to respond to calls from police and other emergency officials within 30 seconds, and penalties will be issued if their vehicles enter active emergency zones.
“California continues to lead the nation in the development and adoption of AV technology, and these updated regulations further demonstrate the state’s commitment to public safety,” DMV Director Steve Gordon said in a press release.
Waymo is the main operator of fully self-driving robotaxis in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles County, but several companies, including Tesla, hold permits to test autonomous vehicles in some California cities. The BBC has contacted Waymo and Tesla for comment.
Concerns about AV-related safety issues have mounted. During a massive blackout in San Francisco last December, multiple Waymo vehicles were left stalled in the middle of busy intersections, worsening traffic congestion. The San Francisco Fire Department has also repeatedly complained about robotaxis obstructing emergency response operations.
California’s new regulations set a precedent for other states developing autonomous vehicle oversight frameworks, marking a transition from the “wild west” era of self-driving technology into an age of structured regulatory governance.
Sources: BBC News