Bill Requiring Self-Driving Cars to Report Crashes and Malfunctions to DMV Heads to Governor Newsom’s Desk

Sacramento - Assemblymember Matt Haney’s (D-San Francisco) AB 3061, the Self-Driving Cars Safety and Transparency Bill, addresses concerns about the lack of required reporting on autonomous vehicle (AV) collisions, accidents, and malfunctions, and enhances safety and transparency as AV companies prepare to deploy their services statewide. The bill passed out of the Assembly Floor with a 65-4 vote and has received bipartisan support. AB 3061 has now passed its final legislative hurdle and is headed to the Governor’s desk.

The DMV, responsible for AV permits and safety regulations, has not updated its regulations since 2018 but continues to authorize testing for over 40 companies. AB 3061 will align state reporting requirements with federal standards set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). AB 3061 mandates AV companies to disclose safety data to the DMV, which will then make this information publicly accessible.

The bill which is sponsored by the Consumer Federation of California, Consumer Attorneys of California, and the California Teamsters Public Affairs Council, will mandate the disclosure of essential safety data concerning AV collisions and other traffic violations to the DMV — the state agency tasked with regulating autonomous vehicles. The DMV will then be required to make this data available to the public.

“I’m supportive of the technology and want it done right,” said Haney. “It's common sense for the DMV and local governments to have the data they need to keep people safe. Self-Driving cars are the future, but they have also made headlines for injuring pedestrians, shutting down and blocking intersections, causing gridlock and obstructing emergency vehicles. As they grow from testing to full deployment, there’s a lot that’s not being shared and that hurts trust, it hurts transparency, and it hurts safety.

####