California law requires local support when robotaxis obstruct emergency responders

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1246 this week, establishing new requirements for autonomous vehicle operators when their vehicles become disabled or interfere with emergency responders, TechCrunch reports. The law takes effect in July 2028. Companies including Tesla, Waymo and Zoox must provide local support and could face penalties if a robotaxi blocks police or firefighters for more than 30 minutes. Remote drivers must be based in the United States and hold a U.S. driver's license. Operators must also notify local jurisdictions of vehicle locations and status during system-wide failures and provide local incident technicians. California's Department of Motor Vehicles will resolve remaining implementation details.