US regulators have issued an urgent warning to autonomous vehicle (AV) developers after a series of alarming incidents involving driverless cars blocking emergency services. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has demanded that companies cease interference with first responders and law enforcement, citing examples where AVs have driven into active scenes, blocked ambulances and firefighters, or failed to respond to critical safety signals.
NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison stated that it is 'unacceptable' for autonomous vehicles to impede emergency services, labelling the inability to detect and respond appropriately as a 'functional insufficiency'. He highlighted that emergency scenes are not uncommon occurrences, but rather regular situations that AV systems must be programmed to handle safely. The agency has ordered companies to present proposed solutions by the end of this month.
The warning is largely aimed at robotaxi operators, with reports suggesting repeated conflicts between Waymo and first responders in US cities. Incidents have included emergency personnel manually moving Waymo vehicles to clear roadways during critical situations, even in response to serious events like mass shootings or natural gas explosions.
The NHTSA underscored the severe implications of such interference, noting that 'every second matters' when emergency services are responding to calls where lives are at stake. It implied that AV companies could face accountability measures similar to those faced by human drivers for impeding law enforcement or emergency operations.
The agency also highlighted ongoing efforts to update Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), which govern vehicle design and equipment crucial for fully autonomous vehicles. Proposed changes aim to simplify requirements for certain features, reflecting a long-term strategy to integrate self-driving technology into the transport ecosystem.