National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Administrator Jonathan Morrison issued a directive Wednesday to autonomous vehicle (AV) developers, stating that it is unacceptable for their vehicles to interfere with first responders or law enforcement.
Morrison noted at letter that the agency “identified a clear pattern of driverless AVs interfering with law enforcement and other first responders,” citing instances where these vehicles drove into active emergency scenes, blocked the paths of ambulances and firefighters, or failed to recognize and respond to basic safety conditions such as flashing lights, flares, smoke, fire and traffic cones.
The agency asked AV developers to present their “solutions” to this problem by the end of the month.
“Let me be clear: the failure to detect and respond appropriately to such situations represents a functional deficiency,” Morrison’s letter states. “Emergency scenes are not rare or extreme ‘peak cases.’ Therefore, NHTSA is issuing a call to action today for AV developers and operators to immediately focus their resources on solving this problem.”
The agency does not specifically name any specific company in the letter. However, the details show it is aimed at robotaxi operators like Waymo.
Waymo declined to comment.
A previous TechCrunch investigation found that Waymo — which operates the largest fleet of robo-taxis in the United States, with vehicles in cities including Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Francisco — had repeated meetings with first responders. In at least six incidents tracked by TechCrunch through March of this year, first responders had to take control of Waymo vehicles and remove them from traffic in emergency situations. In one case, an officer was in the middle of responding to a mass shooting. In June, an officer was recorded transporting a Waymo unblock roadway for first responders were directed to a gas explosion in an apartment building.
The agency’s letter to AV developers does not say what the consequences would be if the request is ignored. Nor does it describe what acceptable solutions would be. However, the agency has hinted that it would hold companies responsible, just as it does human drivers who obstruct law enforcement.
“Every second counts when law enforcement officers, firefighters or paramedics respond to a call because lives are on the line,” the letter states. “That’s why human drivers who block these functions are subject to fines and even jail time.”
The agency also noted in a press release accompanying the letter that it is making progress in updating the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), which govern vehicle design and equipment requirements. These proposed changes could help autonomous vehicle companies like Tesla and Zoox, which are developing vehicles without steering wheels, pedals or other features needed in human-driven cars. The agency has already proposed rules that would eliminate the need for windshield wipers, sun visors, defogger systems and tire placards. The agency released a new Regulatory Plan 2026 and Unified Program last week, outlining her proposals.
Article updated to include Waymo and disclaimer.
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