Kevin Mullin unveils AV bill after robotaxis blocked emergency vehicles
Waymo and other self-driving car companies are under fire after their robotaxis blocked emergency vehicles in San Francisco.
In response, Rep. Kevin Mullin just unveiled the AV Emergency Response Coordination Act on July 28, 2026, aiming to set clear national rules and emergency protocols for autonomous rides.
Bill allows geofencing, tasks NHTSA
The new bill would let officials use geofencing to limit where AVs can go during emergencies and asks the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to set minimum safety standards.
Local leaders like Mayor Daniel Lurie and Fire Chief Dean Crispen have pointed out recent traffic jams caused by stalled robotaxis (including a messy July 4 incident), pushing for stronger oversight.
Waymo says it supports these federal standards, but with more incidents piling up, regulators want faster action from all AV companies.