TechCrunch Mobility: How do you ticket a robotaxi?

Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and information about the future of transport. To get it in your inbox, sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility!

We’re going to take a little dive today, which might make this newsletter look a little different than normal. There is a reason!

This newsletter is not region-specific, but sometimes there are state-level policies that have far-reaching implications for both tech companies and startups. Which brings me to California and the new autonomous vehicle testing and development rules issued this week by the state Department of Motor Vehicles.

There are two new sets of rules — collectively 100 pages long — covering requirements for the essay and development of AVs. I’ve spent the last few days talking to engineers and policy people who work at AV companies, and I’ve found that they have strong opinions and few want to talk about it publicly. But thanks to public comment period on these regulations, we have some insight into what the industry has supported and what it has not.

The regulations include new, stronger requirements for data collection and sharing, training and operations. Here are some things that stood out and what insiders told me.

How do you ticket a robotaxi? Under these new rules, law enforcement can cite AV companies for traffic violations committed by their vehicles. The rule, called “Notification of Self-Defense Vehicle Noncompliance,” requires the manufacturer (meaning the robotaxi company) to report the violation to the DMV within 72 hours of receiving it from law enforcement.

I have heard various interpretations of this rule and how it is enforced, but it appears that there is no monetary penalty for these violations. Instead, these violations are another piece of data that the DMV can use to identify problems and take action if necessary.

Insiders told me that data is reliable and more important than a monetary fine. My question: Why not both?

The good news for the industry: The DMV will now allow heavy-duty vehicles equipped with autonomous vehicle technology to be tested and eventually deployed on public roads. Self-driving truck companies are happy with this result. Daniel GoffVice President of External Affairs at Kodiakhe told me that the company is already processing the required documents to apply for a permit.

The burden on the industry: The word that came up in every conversation I had with someone in the AV industry was “burdensome”. And it was always used in reaction to new data collection and sharing regulations.

Goodbye, release reports. hello, glitches: Others were happy to see the annual release report disappear. The disengagement reports, which describe when human drivers have had to take over due to technology failures or safety concerns, have been controversial because the companies use different standards. This has made it impossible to compare results or assess the adequacy of autonomous vehicle technology.

This entire section has been removed and replaced with the requirement to report “system failure related to dynamic driving performance”. This may seem like semantics – exchanging one jargon phrase for another. Insiders tell me that while it’s not a perfect metric, it’s clearer than its predecessor. That doesn’t mean it’s endearing either.

There is much more in these documents, including a requirement to provide annual updates to first responder interaction plans, access to manual vehicle override systems, two-way communication links with 30-second response times, and updated training requirements to ensure safe and timely interactions with first responders.

My question for you, the reader, is whether these rules are excessive or are they appropriate and provide the kind of reporting and data collection needed to hold these companies accountable? Sign up for the Mobility newsletter to vote in our polls!

A little bird

We’ve had a lot of birdies talk to us about California’s new AV rules, so nothing new to add here. But remember, you can always send us tips. Here’s how.

Do you have a tip for us? Email Kirsten Korosec at kirsten.korosec@techcrunch.com or my Signal at kkorosec.07 or email Sean O’Kane at sean.okane@techcrunch.com.

Offers!

BMW i Ventures launched a new $300 million fund with a timely thesis: Artificial intelligence will reshape how the auto industry operates. The fund will invest in early-stage startups through Series B in North America and Europe working in AI and physical AI as well as industrial software, advanced materials, and manufacturing and supply chain technologies. This third fund brings the firm’s total capital under management to $1.1 billion.

Other offers that caught my eye…

Sereacta German robotics startup, raised $110 million in a Series B funding round led by VC Headline. Other investors include Bullhound Capital, Felix Capital, Daphni, Air Street Capital, Creandum and Point Nine.

Spirit Airlines is set to close after failing to secure a $500 million government bailout, reports the WSJ. The company is expected to cease operations around 3 a.m. ET Saturday.

Notable reads and other items

China suspended issuing new licenses for autonomous vehicles after dozens of Baidu’s Apollo Go robot taxis suddenly stopped last month; Bloomberg reported.

GoogleGemini AI assistant hits the road with millions of vehicles.

Faraday Future paid about $7.5 million to a company controlled by its founder, Jia Yueting, in 2025, senior reporter Sean O’Kane found in a recent SEC filing.

Rivian reported earnings this week, and one item that stood out to us — and many others — was the reduction in the DOE loan from $6.6 billion to $4.5 billion. This loan restructuring comes with changes at its Georgia plant. Instead of two 200,000-vehicle capacity structures at the Georgia site, Rivian will now build one 300,000-vehicle capacity plant and leave the adjacent “pad” untouched and ready for future growth. Analysts did not necessarily see this as a negative, but positioned it as a right. Barclaysfor example, sees the modification as Rivian’s adaptation to the current EV environment, according to a research note published Friday. Barclays also said it did not believe Rivian currently plans to build the second plant in Georgia, “at least not until the early/mid next decade.”

Tesla launched a Half charge for businesses program, which includes a new product called Basecharger designed for warehouse and overnight use.

Uber has been pressed Hertz to clean it, charge it and fix it Lucid Motors robotics. This announcement left us with a cheeky question: How many companies does it take to launch a robotaxi service?

Uber Customers in the United States can now book hotels directly through the app, one of several new features announced this week that go beyond the company’s original purpose and even deeper into the lives of its users. At launch, Uber customers will have access to more than 700,000 hotels worldwide through a partnership with Expedia Group, the travel company that Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi led for 12 years.

Wowa remote driving technology startup, says it has grown its fleet in 175 vehicles on the road and has exceeded 60,000 rides.