Feds demand autonomous vehicle companies stop interfering with first responders

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a directive to autonomous vehicle developers demanding they fix a recurring problem: driverless vehicles interfering with first responders at emergency scenes. NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison stated that AVs driving into active emergency scenes, blocking ambulances and firefighters, or failing to recognize flashing lights and flares is a 'functional insufficiency,' not an edge case. Developers must submit solutions by end of month. While no company is named explicitly, the directive appears aimed at robotaxi operators like Waymo, which has had at least six documented incidents of first responders needing to manually move its vehicles. The letter implies potential accountability measures similar to those applied to human drivers who impede emergency operations. Separately, NHTSA noted progress on updating Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to accommodate vehicles without traditional controls like steering wheels and pedals.

Nguồn: https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/08/feds-demand-autonomous-vehicle-companies-stop-interfering-with-first-responders. 8sync News chỉ tóm tắt và dẫn link; bản quyền nội dung thuộc tác giả và nguồn gốc.