Robotaxi operators will face fines for blocking first responders

California lawmakers have passed Senate Bill 1246 to create new operational rules and accountability mechanisms for autonomous vehicle (AV) companies operating robotaxi services. The law requires AV developers to provide on-the-ground support to first responders when their vehicles cause disruptions, and it establishes penalties if a robotaxi obstructs emergency personnel for over 30 minutes. Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law.

A central change is the restriction on who may act as a “remote driver.” The law specifies that remote drivers must be located in the United States and possess a U.S. driver’s license. That language narrows a broader, previously vague concept of “remote operations” by defining a remote driver as a human who directly operates or drives a vehicle from a distance.

The statute also obliges companies to notify local jurisdictions about vehicle locations and status during system-wide failures, and to provide “local incident technicians” who can assist with accidents and obstructions. The California Department of Motor Vehicles will be tasked with drafting guidelines for aspects of the law, including required response times.

The move comes after several high-profile incidents in California involving robotaxis — many tied to Waymo, the largest U.S. robotaxi operator with about 4,000 commercial vehicles nationwide and roughly 1,200 in the San Francisco Bay Area — that reportedly broke down, disrupted traffic, or required first responders to intervene. Federal and state officials, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, had urged AV developers to devise solutions for interactions with first responders. Companies such as Waymo and Zoox have said they will comply with the new state requirements.