SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The California Department of Motor Vehicles approved new autonomous vehicle regulations that strengthen oversight and enforcement while authorizing testing and deployment of heavy-duty vehicles for freight and transit operations. The comprehensive rules update the department's autonomous vehicle regulations, enhancing safety requirements and opening the California market to larger vehicles. Under the updated regulations, manufacturers may now apply for permits to test and deploy heavy-duty autonomous vehicle technology on California roadways. The rules expand safety and oversight requirements for all classes of autonomous vehicles, enabling law enforcement agencies to cite companies for moving violations committed by their vehicles. The regulations require autonomous vehicle companies to respond to first responder calls within 30 seconds and authorize local emergency officials to issue electronic geofencing directives to clear vehicles from active emergency zones. "California continues to lead the nation in the development and adoption of AV technology, and these updated regulations further demonstrate the state's commitment to public safety," DMV Director Steve Gordon said. "These updates support the growth of the AV industry by enhancing public safety and transparency while adding additional accountability for AV manufacturers," Gordon said. Under the regulations and implementation of AB 1777, local government emergency officials may issue a temporary "do not enter" or "restricted area" zone to manufacturers in response to a public safety issue. Autonomous vehicles are not permitted to enter this area for the duration of the incident. Any vehicle already inside the zone must exit and no additional vehicles may enter. Vehicles that violate this restriction may be subject to permit restrictions or suspension, depending on the circumstances of the incident. The regulations establish enhanced safety readiness criteria in the permitting process, new standards for remote operations personnel and broader data reporting and enforcement tools. Manufacturers must begin with testing using a safety