California DMV Allows Police Notices for Driverless Violations

The California Department of Motor Vehicles announced new regulations on Tuesday that will allow police officers statewide to issue notices of noncompliance for traffic violations by driverless vehicles, effective July 1. The rules target manufacturers such as Waymo, filling a longstanding gap where officers could not enforce moving violations against vehicles without a human driver.

Under the updated framework, tied to Assembly Bill 1777 signed in September 2024, officers observing infractions like illegal U-turns or blocking traffic can issue notices directly to the operating company. Manufacturers must report these citations to the DMV within 72 hours, or 24 hours for serious incidents such as crashes. The agency will then investigate and require remediation if needed. Repeated or unresolved violations could lead to restrictions on fleet size, operational areas, speed limits, or suspension of permits.

The changes address prior limitations highlighted in incidents involving Waymo robotaxis, which operate across the San Francisco Bay Area and dozens of Los Angeles County cities. Last year, San Francisco issued 589 parking citations to Waymo vehicles, resulting in over $65,000...