California bill aims to hold autonomous car builders accountable for traffic violations
A California bill wants every driver to be ticketed for traffic violations, especially if that driver is an AI-powered robot.
Under Assembly Bill 2193, manufacturers of certain levels of autonomous vehicle technology would be cited for moving violations committed by their driverless vehicles, according to the bill’s text. Even if someone is seated behind the wheel, the manufacturer could be responsible for the citation if autonomous technology is engaged, depending on the level of automation.
The bill was authored by Assemblymember Tri Ta, R-Westminster, and co-authored by Assemblymember Laurie Davies, R-Laguna Niguel, vice chair of the Assembly Transportation Committee. It was introduced in mid-February and passed the Assembly Transportation Committee on April 6 and the Communications and Conveyance Committee on April 15. It is expected to be heard in the Appropriations Committee later this month.
AB 2193 is part of a broader set of proposals introduced this year aimed at establishing clearer rules for autonomous vehicle operations in California.
At a March state Senate Transportation Committee hearing, lawmakers heard from a crash victim, law enforcement and fire officials, an industry representative, researchers and regulators. The discussion focused on how regulation has lagged behind rapidly evolving technology, as well as incidents involving autonomous vehicles, including stopping in the middle of crime scenes.
Another proposal, Senate Bill 1246, would revise state law to require remote operators of autonomous vehicles to be located in the United States and hold a valid California driver’s license. SB 1315 would require automakers to notify the Department of Insurance and insurers of autonomous software updates.
AB 2193, Ta said, is intended to hold autonomous systems to the same standards as a human driver.
“It needs to be fair,” Ta said. “If there is a violation, regardless of if it is a technical issue or a technology problem, there’s still a violation. So there must be someone or some organization responsible for it.”
Existing law allows police to issue notices when driverless vehicles — commonly robotaxis such as Waymo — violate traffic laws, but those violations do not currently result in citations.
The San Francisco Police Department, which handles one of the highest volumes of robotaxis in the nation, does not issue citations for moving violations when a vehicle has no human driver, according to department policy. However, registered owners can be cited for mechanical, registration or permit violations, and parking tickets may still be issued.
Folsom Police Cmdr. Andrew Bates said the bill would provide clearer guidance for local agencies as autonomous vehicles expand into the capital region. The California Department of Motor Vehicles approved Waymo’s expansion beyond the Bay Area to including West Sacramento, Davis, Folsom, Elk Grove and Citrus Heights late last year. Multiple Waymo vehicles have since been spotted in Sacramento following the company’s February rollout.
“It is helpful for us as law enforcement officers ... to have some kind of framework that is very clearly defined in the law who is responsible,” Bates said. “That does make our job easier when that question has already been answered before we have an event like a collision.”
If AB 2193 is enacted, makers and operators of the autonomous technology, not the vehicle manufacturer, would receive citations when Level 4 or Level 5 autonomous vehicles violate traffic laws. California defines automation on a scale from Level 0, fully human-controlled, to Level 5, fully autonomous under all conditions. Level 4 vehicles, including most robotaxis, operate without an in-person driver in many conditions but within defined limits.
The bill also addresses Level 3 vehicles, which allow drivers to disengage from active control under certain conditions but requires them to retake the wheel in emergencies. Under AB 2193, a person in the driver’s seat of a Level 3 vehicle would be cited for violations, even if autonomous features were active. However, the driver could challenge the citation in court by arguing the technology was responsible. If a court determines the system was at fault, the manufacturer could then be cited, Ta said.
“We see the potential issues with AV in our state,” Ta said, adding that the technology is not new but it has quickly grown and will likely continue to spread. “So we needed to come up with a bill to provide support for our law enforcement.”
Bates said citing manufacturers would require procedural adjustments but would be manageable. Currently, police issue some citations, such as parking violations, to registered owners, which are sometimes out-of-state companies.
If AB 2193 becomes law, Bates said the department may need to retain evidence longer. Traffic cases are typically resolved quickly, and records are generally kept for about a year.
“If we have a different system where violations are mailed away to a company that may be out of state, we might need to look at retaining that longer,” he said, adding the department would evaluate if the vehicle code is altered.
“As this (bill) is written, I don’t see this as being an obstacle,” Bates added. “I just see it as being a new process for law enforcement.”
The California State Sheriff’s Association initially expressed support for the bill but later said the bill had been “significantly amended” and required further review and has yet to comment. The bill initially would have required law enforcement to cite the owners of autonomous vehicles, but was changed to hold manufacturers accountable after it was discussed at an Assembly Transportation Committee meeting.
Other groups that have been listed as supporters for the bill include the nonprofit Streets Are For Everyone and Teamsters California, according to Assembly committee documents. No groups have registered in opposition.
Ta emphasized the bill is not intended to slow innovation but to ensure accountability as the technology advances. He added that citations could help improve autonomous systems by identifying and correcting errors.
This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 11:45 AM with the headline "California bill aims to hold autonomous car builders accountable for traffic violations."
