Congressman Kevin Mullin Introduces Federal Bill to Regulate Robotaxis During Emergencies
Congressman Kevin Mullin of San Mateo has introduced federal legislation aimed at establishing national standards for autonomous vehicles, particularly in emergency situations. The proposed legislation, known as the AV Emergency Response Coordination Act, seeks to create standardized procedures for autonomous vehicle companies when their vehicles encounter emergency crews during incidents such as fires, crashes, and road closures. This initiative comes in response to incidents where Waymo vehicles have obstructed emergency responders and caused traffic disruptions. The bill mandates autonomous vehicle operators to provide standardized emergency response plans, establish a 24-hour hotline for first responders, and implement digital geofencing to prevent self-driving vehicles from entering emergency scenes. The legislation builds on previous efforts by Mullin to enhance safety data collection from autonomous vehicle manufacturers. 
