Summary
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1246 into law on September 30, 2026. By July 1, 2028, it will require changes to remote-driver rules, incident response and reporting, and allow local penalties when an autonomous vehicle obstructs emergency operations for more than 30 minutes.
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1246 into law on September 30, 2026, according to an announcement from the bill’s sponsor, Senator Dave Cortese. The law sets requirements for autonomous-vehicle companies and remote drivers, and gives local authorities a way to penalise vehicles that obstruct emergency operations for more than 30 minutes.
The requirements are to be in place by July 1, 2028. The announcement describes the measure as covering autonomous vehicles, not only robotaxis.
Rules take effect by July 2028
SB 1246 will require remote drivers to be based in the United States and hold a U.S. driver’s licence. It also requires companies to notify local jurisdictions about the location and status of their vehicles during system-wide failures.
For incidents such as crashes or road obstructions, companies must provide first responders with an on-site contact, termed a “local incident technician,” who can assist. The law also adds reporting on how quickly companies respond to autonomous-vehicle incidents.
These provisions address both the remote human support behind autonomous fleets and the local response when a vehicle becomes an obstacle. Together, they establish requirements for who may remotely drive, how local officials receive information during widespread failures, and how responders can contact a company at an incident.
Local penalties for emergency obstructions
The law establishes local penalties when an autonomous vehicle blocks first-responder operations during an emergency for more than 30 minutes. The senator’s announcement does not specify whether those penalties must take the form of fines or set out an amount; it describes them as local penalties.
Cortese’s office cites San Francisco incidents as part of the rationale for the law. It says multiple Waymo vehicles blocked roads and ran out of power during the city’s July 4, 2026 celebrations. The office also says approximately 1,500 Waymo vehicles stalled during a city-wide power outage in December 2025, and first responders trying to reach the company waited on hold for up to 53 minutes.
The law’s significance is its combination of statewide operating requirements and local accountability: it sets common expectations for remote drivers and incident communication, while giving local authorities a defined response when a vehicle delays emergency operations. The announcement says the provisions are to be in place by July 1, 2028.