Federal safety regulators are increasing pressure on autonomous vehicle developers after a series of incidents involving driverless cars and emergency responders. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says self-driving vehicles are repeatedly failing to safely navigate active emergency scenes. In a public letter dated July 8, NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison called on autonomous vehicle companies to immediately address the issue. The agency plans to meet with developers before the end of the month to review how they intend to improve vehicle behavior around police officers, firefighters, and paramedics. The warning comes as companies such as Waymo and Zoox continue expanding autonomous ride-hailing services across several U.S. cities. While regulators continue to support the development of self-driving technology, they say safety around first responders must become a higher priority. The NHTSA says emergency scenes should not be treated as rare situations that autonomous systems may occasionally encounter. Instead, the agency says every automated driving system must be capable of recognizing and responding appropriately whenever emergency personnel are working on or near the roadway. NHTSA Says The Pattern Is Becoming A Serious Concern In his letter, Morrison acknowledged the long-term safety benefits autonomous vehicles could provide by reducing crashes caused by human error. However, he said the agency has documented a growing number of cases where driverless vehicles have interfered with emergency operations. Autonomous vehicles have driven into active emergency scenes, blocked ambulances and fire trucks, and failed to recognize hazards including flashing emergency lights, traffic cones, road flares, smoke, and fire. Morrison described the pattern as unacceptable, warning that every second matters when emergency crews are responding to life-threatening situations. The agency also stated that an autonomous vehicle incapable of safely interacting with first responders represents what it called a "functional insufficiency." Regulators believe these situations are common enough that