Waymo's Self-Driving Car Caught Making Illegal U-Turn, New California Law Aims to Hold AVs Accountable
In a recent incident, California police stopped a self-driving car operated by Waymo for making an illegal U-turn. This marks the first such incident for the San Bruno Police Department. The car, like others from Waymo, is designed to follow traffic rules, raising questions about the unusual occurrence.
The U-turn incident is not an isolated case. Last year, police in California pulled over an autonomous car operated by Cruise for driving without its front lights on at night. Both cars were empty, with no driver present, leaving police with no one to ticket or question. Currently, police have no authority to issue citations to driverless vehicles.
Starting in 2026, a new California law will change this. Signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, the law will allow police to issue a 'Notice of Noncompliance' for traffic violations by autonomous vehicles. These notices will be reported to the DMV, marking a significant shift in enforcement procedures.
While Waymo maintains that its autonomous cars follow traffic rules, these incidents suggest that there may be room for improvement. The upcoming changes in California law will provide police with the tools to hold autonomous vehicle operators accountable, ensuring that these vehicles adhere to the same traffic laws as traditional cars.
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