SB 1246: Autonomous vehicles.

Existing law authorizes the operation of an autonomous vehicle on public roads for testing purposes by a driver who possesses the proper class of license for the type of vehicle operated if specified requirements are satisfied. Existing law prohibits the operation of an autonomous vehicle on public roads until the manufacturer submits an application to the Department of Motor Vehicles, as specified, and that application is approved. Existing law requires the department to adopt regulations setting forth requirements for the submission and approval of an application, including, among other things, any testing, equipment, and performance standards the department concludes are necessary to ensure the safe operation of autonomous vehicles on public roads, as specified.

Existing law, commencing July 1, 2026, requires manufacturers of autonomous vehicles that operate without a human operator physically present in the vehicle, except as provided, to comply with certain requirements, including, among other things, to maintain a dedicated emergency response telephone line that is available for emergency response officials, as defined, and to equip each autonomous vehicle with a 2-way voice communication device that enables emergency response officials that are near the vehicle to communicate effectively with a remote human operator, as specified.

This bill would require remote assistants, remote drivers, or local incident technicians, as defined, who monitor, direct, provide input to, advise, supervise, or control commercial autonomous vehicles on a public road in this state, or that provides onsite response to incidents on behalf of an autonomous vehicle operator, be located within the United States and hold a valid California drivers license of the appropriate class with any endorsements required for a human driver to lawfully operate the same vehicle in this state. For autonomous passenger service vehicles, the bill would require the ratio of remote assistants or remote drivers to autonomous passenger service vehicles be 1 to 3 or higher at all times. The bill would require an autonomous vehicle operator to ensure through its staffing and assignments that remote drivers or remote assistants are able to immediately respond to all calls and incidents and that local incident technicians are able to respond and be present on the scene within 10 minutes of an accident or receiving a request from a first responder, as specified.

The bill would require an autonomous vehicle operator to adopt and maintain written emergency response and immobilization procedures to ensure prompt responses to emergencies and accidents, as specified. The bill would require any commercial autonomous vehicle obstructing a travel lane, crosswalk, intersection, transit lane, bicycle lane, freight corridor, emergency access route, space or ramp designated for disabled persons when not carrying a disabled passenger, or fire hydrant to be relocated or removed as soon as possible, but in no case later than 5 minutes after the obstruction is detected if the autonomous vehicle is driveable, or no later than 30 minutes after the obstruction is detected if field personnel or towing is required, except as specified. The bill would prohibit a commercial autonomous vehicle from interfering with emergency events, emergency operations, or law enforcement operations.

The bill would require any commercial autonomous vehicle operated without a human driver on a highway in this state to be equipped with a manual override system in the vehicle that allows local incident technicians, first responders, tow operators, and trained personnel to readily access an emergency steering wheel and manually steer, brake, and relocate the vehicle during an emergency, as specified. The bill would require an autonomous vehicle operator to provide training and written guidance to local incident responders, first responders, and towing providers regarding the manual override system, including safe disabling, relocation, and communication procedures, as specified.

The bill would require Office of the California Highway Patrol (CHP) to establish a registration process for entities that wish to contract with autonomous vehicle operators to provide local incident technician services, as specified. The bill would require CHP, in conjunction with the Office of the State Fire Marshal, to develop uniform guidelines and requirements for the training and written guidance described above and would require CHP to approve all manual override systems, training, and written guidance developed by autonomous vehicle operators pursuant to the above-described provisions. The bill would authorize CHP to impose fees sufficient to cover the cost associated with administering these provisions.

The bill would require autonomous vehicle operators to maintain specified data, including, among other things, information regarding assignments and staffing for remote assistants, remote drivers, and local incident technicians and response times and responses to emergency events, immobilizations, obstructions, accidents involving damage to persons or property, and requests from first responders. The bill would require autonomous vehicle operators to provide this data to the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Public Utilities Commission upon request. The bill would require autonomous vehicle operators to provide summary statistics showing the number of incidents in which manual control of commercial autonomous vehicles was necessary or control was exercised by remote assistants, remote drivers, or local incident technicians on a monthly basis to the department and commission, as specified. The bill would require the department and commission to post the summary statistics on their respective internet websites.

The bill would specify that a violation of the above provisions are not crimes and would instead make violations of these provisions subject to specified civil penalties and administrative actions.