California’s Department of Motor Vehicles has issued new rules for the testing and deployment of autonomous vehicles (AVs), including how to issue citations if a robotaxi breaks traffic laws. While these guidelines aim to increase data collection and safety, insiders describe them as 'burdensome'. The removal of disengagement reports in favour of more detailed system failure analysis is also noteworthy.

Interestingly, the DMV will now permit heavy-duty vehicles with autonomous tech on public roads—good news for self-driving truck companies. However, these new regulations come with a steep learning curve and potential challenges for AV operators.

The question remains: do these rules strike the right balance or are they too restrictive? Readers are encouraged to weigh in via our polls.