California Passes New Law to Regulate Robotaxis and Improve Emergency Response
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1246 into law, introducing new regulations for autonomous vehicles (AVs) aimed at improving safety and emergency response. The bill requires AV companies like Waymo, Tesla, and Zoox to provide local support when their robotaxis cause disruptions or block first responders for more than 30 minutes. It also mandates that remote drivers be based in the U.S., hold a valid driver’s license, and notify local jurisdictions during system failures. The law is set to take effect in July 2028 and aims to reduce chaos caused by robotaxis interfering with traffic or emergency operations. While it may not completely prevent such incidents, it increases accountability for AV companies. The Department of Motor Vehicles will handle implementation details as the primary state regulator. Questions remain about whether other states will follow California’s lead or wait for federal action. The article also highlights several mobility-related funding deals and partnerships in electric vehicles and autonomous systems.
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Topics: AV regulation California law robotaxis Tesla Waymo Zoox