California AB 1777: New Driverless Car Law for 2026

"What does California AB 1777 mean after a driverless car crash?"

California AB 1777: Driverless Car Law

California’s roads are rapidly changing. Fully autonomous vehicles are no longer a futuristic idea. They are operating in city centers across the country, sharing the streets with drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, and emergency responders.

When no one is behind the wheel, California law now requires someone to be reachable.

Driverless technology raises a practical public safety question: What happens when law enforcement officers or emergency responders need to communicate with a vehicle that has no human driver?

California’s AB 1777, which took effect on July 1, 2026, is designed to address that problem. The law applies to autonomous vehicles operating without a human operator physically present in the vehicle. It requires manufacturers to maintain emergency communication systems, provide access to remote human operators, and respond quickly when emergency officials need driverless vehicles to move, stop, or avoid an area.

California AB 1777 at a Glance

Beginning July 1, 2026, AB 1777 requires certain fully driverless vehicle manufacturers to:

• Maintain a dedicated emergency response telephone line for public agencies.
• Answer emergency responder calls within 30 seconds through a remote human operator.
• Equip driverless vehicles with two-way voice communication devices.
• Allow emergency officials to communicate with someone who can immobilize, move, or direct the vehicle.
• Respond to emergency geofencing messages by directing driverless vehicles to leave or avoid an area within two minutes.

What is California AB 1777?

AB 1777 is a California law that creates new public safety rules for fully driverless vehicles. The law focuses on how autonomous vehicles must interact with law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, dispatchers, and other emergency responders.

Beginning July 1, 2026, manufacturers of covered autonomous vehicles must maintain a dedicated emergency response telephone line whenever their vehicles are operating on public roads. That phone line must be available to emergency responders during all hours when an autonomous vehicle is on a public road and must be provided at no cost to public agencies.

The law also requires manufacturers to continuously monitor each autonomous vehicle operating on a public road. Calls to the emergency response line must be answered within 30 seconds by a remote human operator who has situational awareness of the autonomous vehicles on the road.

That requirement matters because AB 1777 does not simply require a general customer-service hotline. The remote human operator must be able to take practical action, including the ability to immobilize the vehicle, allow an emergency response official to move it, or cause the vehicle to move as directed by emergency personnel.

AB 1777 also requires covered autonomous vehicles to have a two-way voice communication device. This allows emergency officials near the vehicle to communicate with a remote human operator through the vehicle itself. After an emergency official makes a request through the device, the manufacturer must make sure the official can reach a remote human operator within 30 seconds.

Why Did California Create a Driverless Car Law?

Driverless vehicle technology has developed faster than many of the everyday procedures used by police officers, firefighters, paramedics, and other emergency personnel.

In a traditional traffic stop or crash scene, an officer can approach the vehicle and speak with the driver. If a vehicle is blocking an ambulance, a firefighter can direct the driver to move. If a crash scene needs to be secured, first responders can communicate with the people involved.

A fully autonomous vehicle creates a different problem. There may be no driver to speak with, and often no passengers at all. If the vehicle stops in the wrong place, blocks emergency access, enters a restricted area, or becomes involved in a crash, emergency responders need a reliable way to contact someone who can actually control the vehicle.

AB 1777 was created to address that gap. The law gives emergency responders a clearer process for communicating with autonomous vehicle manufacturers and remote operators when public safety is at risk.

One of the law’s main tools is the “emergency geofencing message.” During an emergency, an emergency responder may send a message identifying an area that autonomous vehicles must leave or avoid. That area can be identified by street address, intersection, coordinates, or another reasonable way of identifying a location. Once the manufacturer receives the emergency geofencing message, it must direct its fleet to leave or avoid the area within two minutes.

This can be particularly important at crash scenes, fires, police activity, road closures, medical emergencies, or other situations where emergency personnel need to control access to an area quickly.

What AB 1777 Means for Drivers, Pedestrians and Cyclists

For the public, AB 1777 may help make California roads safer as autonomous vehicles become more common.

Drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, passengers, emergency personnel, and others all share the road with these vehicles. When a fully driverless vehicle is involved in a traffic stop, emergency response, road closure, or crash scene, confusion and delay can increase the risk of harm.

The new law is designed to reduce that risk by requiring faster communication and clearer procedures. Emergency officials must be able to reach a remote human operator within 30 seconds. That operator must have situational awareness and the ability to help immobilize or move the vehicle when directed. Manufacturers must also respond quickly when emergency officials identify areas that driverless vehicles should avoid.

These requirements do not eliminate every risk associated with autonomous vehicles. But they do recognize a basic reality: if no one is behind the wheel, someone still needs to be reachable when public safety is involved.

What If an Autonomous Vehicle Is Involved in a Crash?

AB 1777 does not eliminate liability when an autonomous vehicle is involved in a crash.

A crash involving an autonomous vehicle may raise questions that do not come up in a typical car crash case. Was the autonomous technology engaged? How did the vehicle respond before the crash? Did the manufacturer comply with California’s safety requirements? Were emergency procedures followed? Did the vehicle fail to stop, yield, avoid a hazard, or respond appropriately to roadway conditions?

California law also requires autonomous vehicles to capture and store autonomous technology sensor data for at least 30 seconds before a crash while the vehicle is operating in autonomous mode. That data must be preserved for three years after the date of the crash. In a crash involving a driverless vehicle, that information may be important in understanding what happened and who may be responsible.

Depending on the facts, potential liability may involve the autonomous vehicle manufacturer, the company operating the vehicle, another driver, a vehicle owner, a maintenance provider, or another responsible party. These cases may involve vehicle data, software decisions, fleet operations, maintenance records, company policies, witness statements, and physical evidence from the crash scene.

The key point is simple: the absence of a human driver does not mean the absence of accountability. Every case depends on the facts.

Understanding Your Rights After a Driverless Vehicle Collision

California’s AB 1777 is an important step toward addressing the real-world challenges created by fully driverless vehicles. The law does not answer every question about autonomous vehicle crashes, but it does focus on one major public safety issue: when no one is behind the wheel, emergency responders still need someone to answer, respond, and take control when necessary.

As autonomous vehicles become more common, injured people should understand that they still have rights after a collision. If you were hurt in a crash involving a driverless vehicle, it is important to seek medical care, document what happened, preserve any available evidence, and speak with an attorney about your options.

Dolan Law Firm helps injured people understand their rights after serious crashes, including collisions involving new and emerging vehicle technologies. If you have questions after being injured in a crash involving an autonomous vehicle, contact the Dolan Law Firm for a free consultation.

You can also learn more about how we help injured clients by visiting our Personal Injury Service Page and our Car Accident Page.