California has passed Senate Bill 1246, requiring robotaxi operators like Waymo and Tesla to provide on-the-ground support when their AVs interfere with emergency responders. Companies face fines if a robotaxi blocks police or firefighters for more than 30 minutes, following a series of incidents where autonomous vehicles disrupted traffic and impeded first responders.
Background
California has been a testing ground for autonomous vehicle companies like Waymo, Cruise, and Zoox, with growing concerns over public safety and AV behavior in urban environments. The state has seen increasing incidents involving robotaxis disrupting traffic and emergency operations.
- Source
- TechCrunch
- Published
- Oct 2, 2026 at 08:57 AM
- Score
- 7.0 / 10