US congressman proposes federal safety standards for robotaxis after emergency response failures
Following incidents where autonomous vehicles interfered with first responders, Rep. Kevin Mullin introduced a bill requiring minimum safety standards and allowing officials to restrict robotaxi operations during emergencies.
Waymo and other robotaxi operators face heightened regulatory scrutiny after a series of incidents where their autonomous vehicles blocked ambulances, drove into crime scenes, and failed to recognize traffic safety signals. Rep. Kevin Mullin unveiled the AV Emergency Response Coordination Act during a press conference in San Francisco on Tuesday, aiming to direct federal regulators to establish minimum national safety standards for autonomous vehicle operators.
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, Fire Chief Dean Crispen, and Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety President Cathy Chase joined Mullin at the event. Crispen noted that robotaxis frequently pick up and drop off passengers directly in front of fire stations and ambulance deployment facilities, obstructing emergency access. A TechCrunch investigation earlier this year found multiple cases where Waymo vehicles required first responders to manually drive them after encountering issues.
The proposed bill would mandate that AV companies provide clear emergency protocols for first responders, establish a 24-hour hotline for public officials, and direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to develop minimum emergency response standards. A key provision allows officials to “geofence” autonomous vehicles, restricting where they can operate during emergencies or safety hazards in real time, rather than relying on companies to self-regulate.
Waymo responded that it has long supported a federal framework for AV standards and that establishing minimum guidelines would provide a consistent framework for the entire industry and public safety community. In early July, NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison sent a letter to AV developers demanding solutions to the problem of autonomous vehicles interfering with first responders by the end of the month—a deadline that has since passed, increasing pressure on companies like Waymo and Zoox.
Mayor Lurie has previously urged California regulators to strengthen rules following a July 4 traffic jam in San Francisco exacerbated by Waymo robotaxis that had run out of power, blocking key streets, and a December power outage that left dozens of Waymo vehicles stranded. “Residents and visitors should be able to take an AV, public transit, or bike around our city safely, and they must also trust that our police and fire departments can reach them in an emergency,” Lurie said in support of Mullin’s bill.
