NHTSA gives robotaxi companies ultimatum to fix first responder interference
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has ordered autonomous vehicle developers to submit solutions by month's end to address failures in detecting and responding to emergency scenes, following repeated incidents involving Waymo vehicles.
Jonathan Morrison, administrator of the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), issued a directive to autonomous vehicle developers, stating that it is unacceptable for their vehicles to interfere with first responders or law enforcement. Morrison emphasized that the inability to detect and appropriately respond to such situations represents a functional insufficiency and that emergency scenes are not rare or extreme edge cases. NHTSA demands that companies present solutions by the end of the month.
Though the letter does not name any specific company, it appears directed at Waymo, which operates the largest robotaxi fleet in the U.S. in cities like Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco. A previous TechCrunch investigation found repeated run-ins between Waymo vehicles and first responders. Additionally, San Francisco supervisor Bilal Mahmood plans to submit a letter of inquiry into how autonomous vehicles affected public transit and emergency responders after a July 4 fireworks show caused massive gridlock, with numerous Waymo robotaxis being towed after depleting their batteries.
Meanwhile, the Uber-Waymo partnership in Phoenix has ended, though the companies still collaborate in Atlanta and Austin. Uber executives have made thinly veiled jabs at Waymo, and more direct competition is expected once the remaining partnerships conclude, including in policy battles over market access.
NHTSA also released the 2026 Regulatory Plan and Unified Agenda, which includes proposed changes to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) that could benefit companies like Tesla and Zoox developing vehicles without steering wheels or pedals.
Other news: Rivian sold 86.25 million Class A common shares at $15.50 each, raising $1.32 billion. The EV maker recently launched the R2 SUV and raised its 2026 delivery forecast to 65,000–70,000 vehicles. Los Angeles-based startup Bidbus raised $15 million in Series A funding. Lyft plans to acquire Serveo's bike-share business in Spain. Insurance provider AssuranceAmerica confirmed a data breach affecting 6.9 million people's personal information and driver's license numbers, the largest such spill this year.
