Robotaxi Operators Will Face Fines for Blocking First Responders

California's robotaxi operators will have to pay additional fines and meet new requirements now that Governor Gavin Newsom has signed legislation designed to make sure autonomous vehicles don't interfere with first responders in an emergency.

Senate Bill 1246, the new law, mandates automated vehicle companies offer local, physical assistance when robotaxis are inoperable or prevent police officers, firefighters or other emergency personnel from doing their job. Companies could also be fined when their robotaxis impede first responders for longer than 30 minutes.

Autonomous vehicle operators are also required by law to have a local incident technician available for when there's a crash, a vehicle blocks the road or other vehicle-related issue. The companies will also have to keep cities and other jurisdictions updated on the location of the vehicles in those situations.

The law follows a number of episodes involving robotaxis in California. A few of the driverless vehicles have stalled out in congested areas, driven into emergency scenes or blocked passes that first responders rely on. In one incident, an emergency crew even had to remove one.

Federal officials are also looking into the problem. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in July announced it has observed a specific trend of autonomous vehicles interacting with first responders and law enforcement. That includes emergencies, obstructed pathways for ambulances and fire trucks, and a refusal for vehicles to recognize flashing lights, smoke, fire and cones. NHTSA directed autonomous vehicle companies to work on the issue.

Waymo, one of the country's biggest robotaxi operators, has been named in a few of these incidents. Tech Crunch has previously reported on several instances where first responders had to assist in towing away Waymo vehicles. The company said its roadside assistance crews help to clear disabled vehicles from roads and reduce the burden on communities.

The new California rules come as the autonomous ride-hailing providers such as Waymo, Tesla and Zoox continue their expansions. Recently, Zoox recalled 105 driverless cars following reports that one was seen billowing heavy smoke near a fire scene.

The legislation reflects a more comprehensive attempt at establishing defined accountability as robotaxis increasingly fill the roads. For operators, the latest set of mandated tests provides technical breakdown failures on matters of emergency response that can also result in financial penalties.