California Sets Fines For Robotaxis That Block Emergency Responders
A new California law will penalize prolonged robotaxi obstructions and require local incident support, failure notifications and U.S.-based remote drivers.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Senate Bill 1246, creating penalties for robotaxi operators whose vehicles block first responders for more than 30 minutes during an emergency. The law also requires companies to provide local help when vehicles cause problems. According to Engadget, the rules take effect July 1, 2028.
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New rules for emergency incidents
Under the law, companies must make “local incident technicians” available to help with autonomous-vehicle accidents and obstructions, according to Engadget and TechCrunch. They must also tell local authorities where their vehicles are and what condition they are in during system-wide failures.
TechCrunch reports that California’s Department of Motor Vehicles will set guidelines for parts of the law, including required response times. Engadget says operators will face additional reporting requirements concerning how quickly they respond to incidents involving their vehicles. The penalties apply when a vehicle obstructs first responders for more than 30 minutes in an emergency.
Incidents behind the legislation
The law follows incidents that raised concerns about how driverless vehicles behave when roads or emergency services are disrupted. Engadget reports that Waymo vehicles became stranded on San Francisco streets during a December 2025 power outage that disabled traffic lights. It also says Waymo vehicles had to be towed after losing power in heavy San Francisco traffic during Fourth of July celebrations.
TechCrunch reports that other California incidents involved robotaxis disrupting traffic, entering crime scenes or impeding first responders. Its investigation found instances in which first responders manually drove Waymo vehicles that had run into trouble. Outside California, Engadget reports that a Waymo vehicle blocked an ambulance responding to a shooting in Austin, Texas. Both outlets say the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration pressed autonomous-vehicle companies to address interference with first responders.
What operators must prepare for
SB 1246 also requires anyone directly driving a vehicle remotely to be based in the United States and hold a U.S. driver’s license. TechCrunch draws a distinction between that kind of direct remote driving and remote assistance, in which a person offers guidance while the vehicle’s self-driving system remains in control. It says Tesla is the only company to have publicly acknowledged remote operators who can directly control its robotaxis; Waymo has described using remote assistance staff, including workers outside the United States.
For companies operating in California, compliance will mean arranging local incident support, meeting reporting and notification requirements, and ensuring any remote drivers meet the U.S. requirements before the law takes effect. TechCrunch reports that Waymo and Zoox have said they will comply.
Sources
This story was compiled by AI from the reports below. Read the originals for the full details.