California Laws Struggling to Keep Up with Autonomous Vehicles
Key Points:
- Autonomous vehicles in San Francisco are exempt from traffic tickets if there is no driver in the seat, highlighting the legal and safety concerns surrounding the technology.
- California law has not kept pace with autonomous vehicles, even though they are already on the roads.
- San Francisco Police Department allows officers to make traffic stops of autonomous vehicles, but citations can only be issued if there is a safety driver present.
- Since June 2022, autonomous vehicles have been allowed to operate without safety drivers in San Francisco, but citations for non-moving violations can only be issued to the registered owner of the vehicle.
California’s Legal Gap with Autonomous Vehicles
The rise of autonomous vehicles presents a challenge for California’s legal system. While hundreds of autonomous vehicles are already on the roads in San Francisco, California laws have lagged behind the fast-paced technological advancements. The San Francisco Police Department allows officers to make traffic stops of autonomous vehicles, but the issuance of citations is restricted to cases where a safety driver is present. Since June 2022, autonomous vehicles have been permitted to operate without safety drivers within city limits, but citations for non-moving violations can only be issued to the registered owners of the unoccupied vehicles. As California struggles to catch up with this growing technology, the legal and safety concerns surrounding autonomous vehicles remain unresolved.
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