California Enacts SB 1246, Adding Emergency-Response Rules for Autonomous Vehicles

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed SB 1246, a new law that adds statewide emergency-response, staffing and reporting rules for commercial autonomous vehicles operating in the state. The measure, approved and filed on September 30, 2026, makes its main provisions operative on July 1, 2028, putting robotaxi and other driverless-vehicle operators on a longer compliance clock while giving local officials a clearer enforcement path.