California closes loophole letting driverless cars avoid traffic tickets

California has eliminated a legal gap that previously exempted autonomous vehicles from receiving traffic citations. New regulations now enable law enforcement to issue tickets to manufacturers of AVs for traffic violations and mandate that robotaxis leave emergency areas within two minutes. These measures tackle an enforcement issue where driverless cars could evade penalties due to the absence of a human operator. The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) introduced these changes to promote responsibility in the operation of autonomous vehicles. These rules are effective immediately and pertain to all firms testing or operating autonomous vehicles on public roadways in the state.