California has enacted new regulations requiring autonomous vehicle (AV) companies to provide direct support to first responders when their robotaxis cause disruptions. Under Senate Bill 1246, signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom, operators such as Tesla, Waymo, and Zoox face potential penalties if their vehicles block police or firefighters for longer than 30 minutes.
The legislation introduces strict accountability measures designed to improve safety and emergency response times when autonomous vehicles break down or interfere with public safety operations. The law was prompted by a series of high-profile incidents in the state where robotaxis disrupted traffic, entered crime scenes, or hindered first responders.
Most of these incidents involved Waymo, the largest robotaxi operator in the United States, which currently runs a commercial fleet of approximately 4,000 vehicles nationwide, with about 1,200 operating in the San Francisco Bay Area. An earlier investigation revealed that Waymo frequently relied on emergency personnel to manually drive its vehicles when technical issues arose.
These events led to increased scrutiny from state and federal lawmakers, with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) previously sending letters to AV developers demanding solutions to the interference problem.
State Senator Dave Cortese, the bill’s sponsor, emphasized the balance between technological advancement and public safety. “California has embraced autonomous vehicles, but we cannot embrace innovation at the expense of public safety,” Cortese said. “When an autonomous vehicle crashes, breaks down, blocks a roadway in an emergency, or gets in the way of law enforcement or first responders, there must be clear accountability.”
The law imposes specific requirements on remote operations. AV developers may only employ remote drivers who are based in the United States and hold a valid U.S. driver’s license. The term “remote driver” is narrowly defined as a human directly operating the vehicle from afar, a capability Tesla has publicly confirmed. Other companies, including Waymo, describe their systems as remote assistance, where humans provide guidance rather than direct control. Waymo maintains a global remote assistance network, including staff in the Philippines, while Zoox states its remote teams are U.S.-based.
Additionally, companies must notify local jurisdictions of vehicle locations and status during system-wide failures and deploy “local incident technicians” to assist with accidents and obstructions. The California Department of Motor Vehicles, which regulates AVs in the state, will establish guidelines including required response times.
Waymo and Zoox have stated they will comply with the new regulations. A Waymo spokesperson expressed gratitude for amendments that allow feasible service, reiterating the company’s commitment to road safety in California.
The new law takes effect in July 2028.
I lived through Waymo gridlock in SF last year. Good to see accountability, but hope they fix the root tech issues first.
This is just bureaucratic overreach. Why punish innovation? Self-driving cars are safer anyway. Let the technology evolve naturally.
Thirty minutes is still a long wait during an emergency. I wonder if the response time guidelines will be stricter?
Finally! It is outrageous that taxpayers had to manually move these robots. Someone needs to pay for that wasted time.