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California to begin ticketing driverless cars that violate traffic laws
The California DMV announced new autonomous-vehicle regulations enabling police to issue notices of AV noncompliance to manufacturers for moving violations. The rules, part of a 2024 law, will take effect on July 1, 2026 and require rapid emergency-response from AV operators, with penalties for entering active emergency zones. The move follows 2025 incidents in San Bruno and San Francisco highlighting safety concerns.
Why It Matters
The rules shift accountability from human drivers to AV operators and manufacturers, aiming to improve safety and emergency response as driverless cars become more common in California.
Timeline
3 Events
DMV announces new regulations enabling police to cite AVs and issue notices to manufacturers
May 2, 2026
The California Department of Motor Vehicles announced a package of autonomous-vehicle regulations, including a process for police to issue a "notice of AV noncompliance" directly to the vehicle's manufacturer. The rules are part of a 2024 law and will take effect on July 1, 2026. They require AV companies to respond to calls from police and other emergency officials within 30 seconds and to face penalties if their vehicles enter active emergency zones. DMV Director Steve Gordon called the regulations "the most comprehensive AV regulations in the nation" and said the move demonstrates the state's commitment to public safety. The regulations follow reports of AVs violating traffic laws, including the September 2025 San Bruno incident and the December 2025 San Francisco blackout.
San Francisco blackout leaves Waymo vehicles stalled in intersections
December 2025
In December 2025, a massive blackout in San Francisco left a number of Waymo vehicles stalled in the middle of busy intersections, worsening an already congested traffic situation.
San Bruno: Waymo AV illegal U-turn; officers unable to ticket without a driver
September 2025
In September 2025, San Bruno police observed a Waymo autonomous vehicle making an illegal U-turn at a traffic signal in front of them. Because there was no human driver to receive a citation, officers could not issue a ticket and instead notified the company about the alleged 'glitch', according to the San Bruno Police Department.