California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Senate Bill 1246 into law this week, introducing new regulations for autonomous vehicles (AVs). The legislation aims to improve safety and response times when robotaxis become disabled or obstruct emergency responders.
Autonomous vehicle technology companies, including Tesla, Waymo, and Zoox, will now be required to offer local, on-the-ground support to first responders if their robotaxis create issues. The law also includes provisions for penalties if a robotaxi blocks police or firefighters for more than 30 minutes.
Additionally, the new rules stipulate that AV developers can only employ remote drivers who are based in the United States and possess a U.S. driver’s license. Companies must also inform local jurisdictions about the location and status of vehicles during system-wide failures and provide “local incident technicians” to assist with AV accidents and obstructions.
The Department of Motor Vehicles will handle further details as the primary regulator of autonomous vehicles in California. The law is set to go into effect in July 2028.