Driverless cars in California can now get traffic tickets under new DMV rules
For the first time, autonomous vehicles in California, such as Waymo robotaxis, can effectively be cited for breaking traffic laws.
The new Department of Motor Vehicles regulations allow law enforcement agencies to issue notices of traffic violations to autonomous vehicle companies when their cars commit moving violations. The rules also require companies to respond to calls from police, firefighters and other emergency officials within 30 seconds.
Ahmed Banafa, an engineering professor at San Jose State University, said the rules could force companies to improve.
"That's going to force them to do it better, because this is the only way they can force a company to do better," Banafa said.
The changes come after several high-profile problems involving autonomous vehicles in San Francisco, including Waymo vehicles stalling and blocking intersections during a blackout in December. The San Francisco Fire Department has also repeatedly complained about driverless cars entering emergency zones and affecting responses.
Under the new rules, AV companies can face penalties if their vehicles drive through active emergency zones.
The Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association, which represents Waymo's industry interests, did not specifically address the ticketing provisions but praised the broader DMV regulations.
"Autonomous vehicle innovators operating in California have a clear, workable path to test and deploy, ensuring the state will continue to benefit from autonomous technology through safer roads, enhanced accessibility, and strengthened supply chains," said Jeff Farrah, the group's CEO.
State Sen. Dave Cortese, a Democrat from San Jose, has called autonomous vehicles "unfinished technology" and introduced Senate Bill 1246, which would add more oversight.
The bill includes limits on how many vehicles one remote operator can monitor at a time.
"If you don't have a driver in the car, where is the nearest human?" Cortese said. "It's a remote operator. We want those remote operators to be at the right ratio. We want them to understand California laws, just like we'd want a human driver to understand California laws."
Cortese said the new DMV rules may not dramatically change how companies such as Waymo operate in the short term.
But Banafa said additional oversight could eventually give the public more safety data and push companies to make changes to both hardware and software.
The DMV said the new autonomous vehicle regulations are the "most comprehensive" in the country. Under the updated rules, AV manufacturers may also apply for permits to test and deploy heavy-duty autonomous vehicle technology on California roads.