For over two years, driverless cars operated in a legal gray zone where they couldn't receive traffic tickets because California law defined "drivers" as the ones responsible for violations. That loophole is closing. On Tuesday, California's Department of Motor Vehicles officially approved new regulations that will allow law enforcement to issue "notices of noncompliance" to autonomous vehicle companies when their cars violate traffic laws, starting July 1, 2026.

This regulatory shift represents a turning point in how self-driving vehicles are treated on public roads. For years, a Waymo robotaxi could run a red light or fail to stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk without facing any citation, because there was no human driver to ticket. That immunity is ending, and it could reshape how companies like Waymo operate and maintain their fleets.

Why Did Driverless Cars Escape Traffic Tickets for So Long?

The loophole existed because California's transportation laws were written with human drivers in mind. The statutes specified that "drivers" are subject to citations when they violate traffic rules. Law enforcement interpreted this literally: if there's no human driver in the front seat, there's no one to cite. For years, this created an odd situation where autonomous vehicles could commit traffic violations with no legal consequence.

NBC Bay Area's investigative unit first exposed this gap more than two years ago, triggering legislative action. Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1777 into law, which instructed the DMV to create a new enforcement mechanism. Rather than traditional traffic tickets, the state designed "notices of noncompliance" as a way to hold autonomous vehicle companies accountable while acknowledging the unique nature of self-driving technology.

How Will the New Enforcement System Work?

Under the newly adopted regulations, law enforcement officers across California will be able to issue notices of noncompliance when driverless vehicles violate traffic laws. The process includes specific reporting requirements and escalating consequences for repeated violations.

• Initial Response Timeline: Once a driverless car company receives a noncompliance notice from law enforcement, it must provide details of the incident to the DMV within 72 hours, or within 24 hours for particularly serious cases.
• Escalating Penalties: Repeated or serious instances of noncompliance can result in the state suspending or even revoking a company's driverless car permit, effectively shutting down its operations.
• Transparency Requirements: Companies must disclose incident information to the DMV, though the state says it will protect sensitive business information from misuse.

The DMV described its new rules as "the most comprehensive AV regulations in the nation." Steve Gordon, the DMV Director, stated in a statement that "these updated regulations further demonstrate the state's commitment to public safety" while "supporting the growth of the AV industry by enhancing public safety and transparency while adding additional accountability for AV manufacturers".

What Are Companies Like Waymo Saying About These Rules?

Waymo, which operates roughly 1,000 self-driving vehicles in the San Francisco Bay Area, expressed concerns about the new disclosure requirements. The company worried that having to publicly report noncompliance notices to the DMV could expose confidential business information. In comments submitted to the DMV during the regulatory process, Waymo emphasized "the importance of protecting confidential business information," noting that disclosure "could cause significant harm, including misuse by foreign entities".

Waymo

The DMV acknowledged these concerns but proceeded with the regulations anyway. The agency stated that its reporting requirements balance transparency with "the need to protect sensitive business information from misuse," and committed to "apply these confidentiality protections consistently".

Why Does This Matter Now?

The timing of these regulations is significant. Waymo's robotaxi operations have expanded rapidly across California, and the company has faced several high-profile incidents that have drawn scrutiny. Earlier this year, one of Waymo's vehicles struck a child near a school in Santa Monica, triggering a federal investigation. Around the same time, another Waymo vehicle operating in manual mode hit parked cars in a residential area. Between 2021 and late 2025, there were over 1,000 reported incidents involving Waymo vehicles, including injuries and a small number of fatalities.

These incidents have kept Waymo under a microscope, and the new enforcement rules add another layer of accountability. However, the broader safety data tells a more nuanced story. Studies comparing Waymo vehicles to human drivers show significantly fewer serious crashes, fewer injury-related incidents, and fewer situations involving airbag deployment. Some reports suggest reductions in serious injury crashes by as much as 90 percent.

The new regulations also expand testing opportunities for autonomous vehicles. The DMV's updated rules include a pathway for companies to begin testing autonomous big rigs weighing more than 10,000 pounds, which have long been barred from operating in California.

What Happens If a Driverless Car Violates Traffic Laws Repeatedly?

The consequences for noncompliance can be severe. Unlike a human driver who might pay a fine and move on, an autonomous vehicle company faces the possibility of losing its operating permit entirely. This creates a strong incentive for companies to ensure their vehicles follow traffic laws consistently. The threat of permit suspension or revocation is a far more serious consequence than a traditional traffic ticket, giving regulators real leverage over how these companies operate.

This enforcement structure reflects a broader shift in how California is approaching autonomous vehicle regulation. Rather than treating self-driving cars as a special category exempt from traffic laws, the state is integrating them into the same legal framework that governs human drivers, with modifications that account for the fact that there's no human operator to cite.

The new rules take effect on July 1, 2026, giving law enforcement and autonomous vehicle companies time to prepare for the transition. For Waymo and other robotaxi operators, the message is clear: the days of operating in a regulatory gray zone are over. Every traffic violation will now be documented, reported, and potentially used as grounds for regulatory action.