Who Gets the Ticket When a Robotaxi Breaks the Law? California Grapples with Autonomous Vehicle Liability
The rise of robotaxis has introduced a novel and perplexing legal conundrum for law enforcement: who is liable when an autonomous vehicle (AV) commits a traffic infraction, and there’s no human driver to issue a ticket to? Police in San Bruno, California, recently encountered this exact problem when an autonomous vehicle executed an illegal U-turn right in front of officers during a DUI enforcement operation. This incident highlights a significant legal loophole that allows robotaxi companies to currently skirt fines, a situation California authorities are finally moving to address.
Police Aren’t Sure Who To Ticket In Robotaxi Infractions
The incident in San Bruno is not an isolated one. Police in Atlanta faced a similar dilemma in July, with their solution being to simply document violations involving AVs and report them to the owning company. In California, however, companies like Waymo have been able to avoid fines for misbehaving robotaxis. The existing legal infrastructure simply isn’t set up to extract fines from these companies, despite their operations in major cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco.
A Waymo spokesperson, speaking to The Register, affirmed their system’s design to “respect the rules of the road” and stated they were “looking into this situation and is committed to improving road safety through our ongoing learnings and experience.” While this commitment is noted, the immediate issue of accountability for traffic violations remains. An illegal U-turn infraction, for instance, carries a $234 fine for a human driver, often accompanied by potential court appearances and time away from work. Robotaxi companies, including Waymo and Uber, have been directly profiting from their driverless services while benefiting from this significant legal loophole.
California Is Finally Closing A Huge Loophole For Robotaxis
The current situation is exacerbated by the fact that California state authorities previously granted AV makers operating taxis a waiver for minor traffic offenses. Such a “carte blanche” approach for private citizens or human rideshare drivers is virtually unheard of, highlighting the regulatory imbalance.
However, this significant loophole is set to close. Starting July 1, 2026, driverless rideshare companies in California will finally be subject to moving violations. This legislative change aims to establish a more equitable standard of accountability. The critical question that remains is whether state lawmakers will hold these companies to the same stringent standards applied to individual drivers, who can lose their licenses for accumulating too many traffic violations. The impending deadline marks a crucial step toward establishing a robust legal framework for autonomous vehicles and ensuring greater accountability on California’s roads.
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