California Police Now Authorized to Ticket Driverless Vehicles

Starting July 1st, autonomous vehicles cruising the streets of California will face traffic tickets just like any other driver. The California DMV has rolled out new regulations that empower law enforcement to issue a “notice of AV noncompliance” to manufacturers when their vehicles break traffic laws, such as running red lights or neglecting to stop for school buses.

These changes come in response to a series of high-profile traffic violations and safety investigations involving robotaxis. Notably, Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system is currently under scrutiny for incidents like running red lights and driving the wrong way. With these new rules, companies behind driverless vehicles can now be held accountable for such infractions in California.

Additionally, the updated regulations aim to enhance safety during emergencies. For instance, there was a notable incident in San Francisco last year when Waymo vehicles obstructed traffic during a power outage. Under the new guidelines, AV companies must respond to first-responder calls within 30 seconds and allow emergency personnel to issue electronic geofencing directives, preventing AVs from entering active emergency zones. Any driverless cars already present in those areas will be required to vacate.

The regulations also pave the way for testing and deploying heavy-duty autonomous trucks, along with establishing licensing qualifications, permitting, and training requirements for remote drivers and assistants.