California Bill Would Allow Local Governments to Regulate Self-Driving Cars

One backer says autonomous vehicles fall short in detecting and interacting with first responders.

A self-driving Nuro vehicle is parked outside a supermarket in Scottsdale, Arizona, as part of a pilot program using driverless cars to deliver groceries, Aug. 16, 2018. AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

A California Senate bill could put rules regarding self-driving cars in the hands of local leaders instead of the state.

Senate Bill 915, introduced by Sen. Dave Cortese in January, aims to keep streets safe as more self-driving cars hit the streets, but would allow each local government to establish its own rules for such “based on the community’s unique needs”—particularly in pedestrian-heavy areas like schools and airports—according to a Jan. 9 press release by the senator’s office.