CaliforniaStarting in 2028, self-driving vehicle makers must send help for certain incidents
Starting July 1, 2028, self-driving vehicle makers must send workers to certain road incidents, and remote drivers must meet location and license rules.
What it does
Starting July 1, 2028, makers must send help immediately for certain vehicle incidents or when emergency officials or 911 dispatchers ask. They must alert local agencies if a fleetwide failure may threaten traffic or emergency response.
Starting July 1, 2028, commercial self-driving vehicles without manual driving controls must let remote staff help emergency officials move or stop them. If that fails, makers must immediately send an on-site worker or tow operator.
Starting July 1, 2028, anyone who remotely drives a self-driving vehicle must be in the United States and have a license valid in California for that vehicle, with any required extra permissions.
Starting July 1, 2028, makers must send the Department of Motor Vehicles quarterly records on incidents and response times. The department must post summary figures for each maker.
Starting July 1, 2028, city and county lawyers may sue makers over broken incident response rules. Courts may also fine makers when a commercial vehicle hinders emergency or law enforcement work for over 30 minutes after an official requests on-site help.
Argument forSending workers to stranded or obstructing vehicles immediately could help emergency crews and other drivers get through sooner.
Argument againstKeeping workers ready to respond immediately, even when several vehicles need help at once, could raise costs for self-driving vehicle makers.
More detail
Manufacturers must immediately send workers to certain incidents and alert local agencies about hazardous fleetwide failures. These duties cover manufacturers of self-driving vehicles involved in the listed incidents or fleetwide failures. Dispatch is required when a crash or other incident leaves a vehicle stuck, blocks traffic or emergency access, creates a road hazard, or requires help at the scene for safe removal. A request from an emergency official or 911 dispatch center also requires immediate dispatch. If a fleetwide failure may threaten traffic or emergency response, manufacturers must notify affected local agencies and send workers where appropriate when vehicles cannot be recovered remotely. These duties begin July 1, 2028.
Manufacturers must let remote staff move or stop covered commercial vehicles when emergency officials direct them. This covers commercial self-driving vehicles without manual driving controls, such as a steering wheel or brake pedal. Remote staff must be able to put the vehicle in neutral so an official can move it, move it as directed, or turn it off and keep it stopped. If those steps cannot move the vehicle, the manufacturer must immediately send an on-site worker or a tow operator as the official requests. These duties begin July 1, 2028.
Remote drivers must be in the United States and hold a license valid for driving in California. A remote driver controls braking, steering, acceleration, or shifting in real time from outside the driver's seat. The license must be the right type for the vehicle and include any extra driving permissions required. The requirement begins July 1, 2028.
Manufacturers must send incident records to the Department of Motor Vehicles, which must publish summaries. The reporting duty applies to self-driving vehicle manufacturers; the published figures must be broken down by manufacturer. Records must cover worker response times, fleetwide failures, emergencies, stranded or obstructing vehicles, crashes, and requests from emergency officials. The department may share the records with the Public Utilities Commission when requested for oversight of passenger services. Reporting and publication begin July 1, 2028, and occur every three months.
City and county lawyers may sue over specified violations, and courts may impose civil fines. A local government may sue over violations within its boundaries; counties may sue over violations in unincorporated areas. Courts may impose up to $5,000 for each violation of the incident response rules. They may impose up to $10,000 per commercial self-driving vehicle that obstructs or interferes with emergency or law enforcement work for more than 30 minutes after an emergency official requests an on-site worker. These civil enforcement rules begin July 1, 2028.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed Assembly
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 30Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 1021, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 30Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 9Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 31Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 28. Noes 7.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.Major
- Vote recorded Unfinished Business SB1246 Cortese Concurrence. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded SB 1246 Cortese Senate Third Reading By Rogers. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 30In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
- Aug 30Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 65. Noes 11. Page 6903.) Ordered to the Senate.Passed Assembly
- Aug 21Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 21Read third time and amended.Major
- Aug 13Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 13From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 4.) (August 13).Minor
- Aug 13Assembly Rule 63 suspended.
- Aug 5August 5 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file.
- Jul 2From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 1.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Jul 1
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 24Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on C. & C.Major
- Jun 23From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on C. & C. (Ayes 13. Noes 2.) (June 22).Major
- Jun 22
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Communications and Conveyance]. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 15From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.Major
- Jun 4Referred to Coms. on TRANS., C. & C., and JUD.Minor
- May 27In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading. Result: pass.Upper
- May 27Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 27. Noes 9. Page 4503.) Ordered to the Assembly.Passed Senate
- May 19Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 18Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- May 18From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 2. Page 4270.) (May 14).Major
- May 14
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Upper
- May 8Set for hearing May 14.
- May 4May 4 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 24Set for hearing May 4.
- Apr 22From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 3. Page 3979.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Apr 21
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 16Set for hearing April 21.
- Apr 15Re-referred to Com. on JUD.Minor
- Apr 8From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on RLS. (Ayes 8. Noes 3. Page 3761.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on RLS.Minor
- Apr 7
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Rules]. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 27Set for hearing April 7.
- Mar 24From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.Major
- Mar 4Referred to Com. on TRANS.Minor
- Feb 20From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 22.
- Feb 19Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.Introduced
TransportationPublic Safety