California authorities have issued new regulations allowing police to issue traffic tickets to autonomous vehicles that violate traffic laws, sending the tickets directly to the companies that own the vehicles—a practice not possible before.
Foreign news agencies reported on 2 May 2026 that the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) announced new regulations concerning autonomous vehicles (AVs), including procedures allowing police to send "Notices of AV Noncompliance" directly to the vehicle manufacturers.
These new regulations will take effect on 1 July as part of a 2024 law designed to impose stricter controls over this technology.
California's DMV describes these new rules as the "most comprehensive autonomous vehicle regulations in the country."
Under the new rules, police can fine the companies owning AVs when their vehicles break traffic laws. The regulations also require companies to respond to police or other emergency personnel within 30 seconds and impose fines if a vehicle obstructs an emergency scene.
"California remains a national leader in developing and deploying AV technology, and these updated regulations demonstrate the state's commitment to public safety," said Steve Gordon, DMV Director, in a press release.
Waymo is a leading provider of driverless taxis in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles County. Several other companies, including Tesla, are also authorized to test autonomous vehicles in certain California cities.
There have been multiple reports of autonomous vehicles violating traffic laws, including incidents during last year's blackout in San Francisco. However, the lack of clear regulations left some police officers unsure how to hold driverless cars accountable.
In an incident last September, police in San Bruno, south of San Francisco, reported seeing a Waymo autonomous vehicle make an illegal U-turn at a traffic light. When officers tried to stop the vehicle, they could not issue a ticket since there was no driver to receive it. Officers could only notify the company about the "error."
Later in December, a major blackout in San Francisco caused many Waymo vehicles to stall in busy intersections, worsening already heavy traffic congestion.
San Francisco firefighters have also repeatedly complained about driverless taxis obstructing emergency operations during critical situations.
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Source:bbc