California ends “citation immunity” for robotaxis starting July 1. First responders gain 30-second access plus emergency geofencing. Heavy trucks over 10,001 lbs are now cleared for autonomous testing. California’s autonomous vehicle industry has spent years operating under a regulatory framework that, in practice, treated its products as exempt from the rules everyone else has to follow. That ends now. The California Department of Motor Vehicles has formally adopted a new framework allowing officers to ticket robotaxis, while simultaneously opening the state’s highways to heavy-duty autonomous trucks under tight conditions. The loophole was always faintly absurd. Traffic citations are written to whoever is sitting behind the wheel. When no one is, officers had no mechanism to enforce the rules. Assembly Bill 1777 first published on September 27, 2024, closes the gap on July 1. The Power To Cite The most significant change comes from defining how police interact with driverless cars. Under the bill, an officer who observes a robotaxi committing a traffic violation can issue a notice of noncompliance, effectively treating the manufacturer as the driver in the eyes of the law. More: Waymo Hit A Child At School Drop-Off, Says It Reacted Faster Than You Would Have To help the department track safety trends in real time, the law requires operating companies to report citations within 72 hours. In cases involving a collision or more serious safety incident, that window can shrink to 24 hours. Serious or repeated violations can lead the DMV to impose targeted operational limits, such as capping a company’s fleet or suspending its permits. Emergency Scene Control The legislation also gives first responders more control during active emergencies. According to the San Francisco Standard, autonomous vehicles must be capable of obeying immediate commands from local authorities. The rule addresses past incidents where driverless cars obstructed fire and rescue operations. Companies must also maintain a dedicated emergency response line that is answered within 30 seconds. More: Tesla Avoids A Massive California Ban By Junking Its Most Famous Feature Local officials now have the authority to issue emergency geofencing directives. If a fire or accident occurs, they can send an electronic command requiring all autonomous vehicles to clear the restricted zone within two minutes. Vehicles must also include manual override access and two-way voice communication so emergency personnel can interact with the car on scene. Big Rigs Join The Autonomous Fray A modified Kenworth T650 semi from Kodiak Robotics. While the ability to ticket and interact with robotaxis addresses safety concerns, the most significant long-term shift in the new regulations is the authorization of heavy-duty autonomous trucks on highways. More: 13,000 Immigrant Truck Drivers Just Lost Their Licenses In California The California DMV has lifted the ban on vehicles weighing over 10,001 lbs (4,536 kg), effectively inviting autonomous freight into the nation’s largest logistics hub. The rollout also includes medium-duty vehicles up to 14,001 lbs (6,351 kg), aimed at transit and campus shuttle use. Still, autonomous rigs face a much higher threshold than passenger cars. They must complete 500,000 miles (804,672 km) of testing with a human safety driver before moving to fully driverless operation. They are also still required to stop at weigh stations and inspection points, just like any human-driven semi. The driverless cabin of the Kenworth T650 upfitted with Kodiak Driver.
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