By Joanna Putman
Police1
SAN FRANCISCO — A new California law, set to take effect in the summer of 2026, will allow law enforcement officers to issue citations to autonomous vehicles (AV) for traffic violations, even without a human driver behind the wheel, KRON reported.
Authored by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, AB 1777 requires AV companies like Waymo and Cruise to report all traffic citations to the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). With this data, the DMV can monitor safety and potentially revoke permits for companies with excessive violations, according to the report.
“Permitted companies recently logged a record nine million test miles during a one-year period,” said Ting. “It’s clear that AVs will soon be commonplace, and California needs to ensure safety for all on our streets.”
The law is also a response to incidents in San Francisco where AVs disrupted traffic, interfered with emergency responses and caused injuries. It authorizes law enforcement to issue “notices of autonomous vehicle noncompliance” and equips AVs with communication devices to prevent them from entering emergency scenes, according to the report.
The San Francisco Fire Department expressed support for the law.
“The critical first steps it takes to improve interactions between autonomous vehicles and first responders are vital,” Deputy Chief Darius Luttropp stated.
