Senator Cortese’s SB 1246 Heads to Governor, Demanding Accountability Over Autonomous Vehicles SACRAMENTO, CA — California State Senator Dave Cortese (D-San Jose) announced that his Senate Bill 1246, his landmark legislation to strengthen accountability, oversight, and emergency-response standards for Autonomous Vehicles (AV), has cleared the California Legislature and now advances to the Governor’s desk, where it awaits his signature. As autonomous vehicles continue to expand across California, SB 1246 ensures that public safety and emergency response keep pace with the technology. The bill would establish statewide standards for remote AV operations, require stronger communication between AV companies and first responders, and give local emergency personnel the tools they need to respond when autonomous vehicles become disabled, obstruct traffic, or interfere with emergency operations. “We should never allow technology to move faster than public safety. Autonomous vehicles are already operating on our streets, and our laws must ensure that when something goes wrong, a human being is there to respond, immediately,” said Senator Dave Cortese. “SB 1246 puts real accountability behind the promise of autonomous technology. It makes clear that AV companies cannot simply deploy vehicles and leave first responders to figure out the consequences. If a driverless vehicle crashes, blocks an emergency lane or becomes disabled, our police officers, firefighters and paramedics need a direct line to someone who can act, not a corporate voicemail. I urge Governor Newsom to sign my SB 1246.” SB 1246 would: - Require remote drivers to be based in the United States and hold a U.S. driver’s license; - Require AV companies to notify local jurisdictions about the location and status of vehicles during system-wide failures; - Guarantee first responders an on-site contact who can assist with AV accidents and obstructions; - Ensure AVs can be manually or remotely disabled at the request of