New Rules in California: Driverless Cars Can Be Fined, Companies Operating Them Bear Responsibility

(Patria) - Autonomous vehicles have functioned in a legal gray area for years, at least when it comes to traffic violations.

In California, one of the most important markets for robotaxi development, that problem has now been resolved.

New rules, which come into effect on July 1, clearly define responsibility for the first time and allow police to fine driverless vehicles.

The key change relates to a simple, but previously unresolved issue: who is responsible if there is no physical driver?

Until now, police in practice had no one to issue a fine to, as traffic violations are legally tied to the person behind the wheel.

The new law closes that gap by treating the manufacturer or operator of the vehicle as the responsible party.

In other words, a robotaxi can receive a fine, and the company operating it bears the responsibility.

The system goes a step further. Companies operating autonomous vehicles will have to report every fine to the regulator within 72 hours, and even faster in the event of an accident.

This way, authorities want to gain better insight into the real-time safety of the system.

If a company is found to have frequent or serious violations, the regulator can limit the number of vehicles in traffic or even suspend its license.

Another important segment relates to emergency services. In the past, there have been cases where autonomous vehicles obstructed firefighters or police at an intervention site.

The new rules stipulate that vehicles must be able to receive and execute orders from on-site services, including mandatory communication and the possibility of remote control.

Operators must also provide an emergency hotline that must be answered within 30 seconds.

A system of so-called geofencing for emergencies has also been introduced. Local authorities can send a signal ordering autonomous vehicles to leave a specific area, for example, in the event of a fire or traffic accident.

Vehicles must respond within two minutes, which should prevent traffic jams and additional risks.

Perhaps the most significant long-term change relates to freight transport.

California has simultaneously opened the door to testing autonomous trucks weighing over 4,536 kilograms, which was previously prohibited.

This expands autonomous technology to the logistics sector, but under strict conditions. Vehicles must drive at least 804,672 kilometers with a safety driver before full autonomy, and weigh station stops are still mandatory.

The new regulation clearly shows that the experimentation phase is ending, and similar rules could soon be expected in other states where similar robotaxi services exist.