California Can Finally Ticket Self-Driving Cars
So, Who's at Fault?
Over the past few years, autonomous driving vehicles have somewhat enjoyed a more lax treatment when it comes to following the rules of the road. In California, for example, there was a loophole that allowed autonomous cars to operate freely and without fault.
To resolve that, California has just released new regulations that promise to be stricter for autonomous driving vehicles and their owners. So, who's at fault? The manufacturer, apparently.
New Rules
Previously, officers who would apprehend robotaxis for traffic violations would have to hold the person behind the wheel at the time liable for the violation. If there were no person sitting behind the wheel, there was no law/rule that empowered the officers to issue any ticket despite a violation having been committed.
As spotted by Carscoops, a new law, Assembly Bill No. 1777, aims to fix that loophole. Now, the officers who want to go after a robotaxi can issue a notice of non-compliance, which effectively treats the manufacturer as the driver under the law, making it liable for the violation.
To ensure proper tracking of violations, the law requires that the company report the citation within 72 hours, and, if the incident involves a collision or is more serious, within 24 hours. California's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) can also impose stricter sanctions, such as capping a company's fleet or suspension of its permits, if its vehicles are serious repeat offenders.
Self-Driving Trucking
Part of the new legislation also gives first responders more control over these autonomous driving taxis, following previous incidents in which these cars obstructed fire and rescue operations. Moving forward, the legislation requires cars to respond to commands from first responders during emergencies. One measure is through geofencing, where a command can be sent to direct robotaxis to avoid a certain area while operations are ongoing.
Another huge part of the new legislation is that heavy-duty autonomous driving trucks are now allowed on the state's highways. The California DMV lifted the ban on vehicles weighing over 10,001 lbs and on medium-sized trucks weighing 14,001 lbs. However, these trucks must undergo 500,000 miles of testing with a human safety driver before moving to fully driverless operation.
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This story was originally published May 1, 2026 at 7:30 AM.