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Senate committee advances bill to tighten remote operation and emergency protocols for autonomous vehicles
Summary
The Senate Transportation Committee voted to advance SB 12 46 after hours of testimony, directing stricter remote‑operator rules, a manual override requirement and a rapid on‑scene response standard for autonomous vehicles amid safety concerns raised by firefighters and city workers. The committee vote to send the bill forward was 8–3.
The Senate Transportation Committee voted to advance SB 12 46, a bill that would require that remote operators for autonomous vehicles be based in the United States and hold a valid California driver’s license, impose a 1:3 operator‑to‑vehicle staffing ratio, mandate monthly reporting on immobilizations and response times, and require a manual override system approved by the California Highway Patrol and the state fire marshal.
The bill’s author told the committee the measures are intended to ensure companies can respond quickly in emergencies and “ensure AVs operating on a highway are equipped with manual override systems…
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