The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) on April 28 approved new regulations that would allow autonomous vehicle (AV) makers to test and deploy heavy-duty AV technology on California roadways.

The California DMV said manufacturers are required to test their vehicles with a safety driver, then progress to driverless testing, before they can apply for deployment on state roads.

Manufacturers must complete 50,000 miles of testing at each phase for light-duty vehicles and 500,000 miles for heavy-duty AVs and provide “a structured safety case” showing the safety of vehicle hardware, software, and operations in order to obtain a permit, according to the DMV.

The new rules would also expand safety and oversight requirements for all classes of AVs, allowing law enforcement agencies to cite companies for moving violations committed by their vehicles.

Under the regulations, companies operating AVs must respond to first-responder calls within 30 seconds, and local emergency officials will have the authority to issue “electronic geofencing directives” requiring autonomous vehicles to leave active emergency zones.

“California continues to lead the nation in the development and adoption of AV technology, and these updated regulations further demonstrate the state’s commitment to public safety,” DMV Director Steve Gordon said.

“These updates support the growth of the AV industry by enhancing public safety and transparency while adding additional accountability for AV manufacturers.”

According to the California DMV, the new rules would allow local emergency officials to impose temporary “do not enter” or restricted-area zones on manufacturers seeking to deploy AVs.

Failure to comply with the restricted area zones could lead to permit restrictions or suspension, depending on the circumstances of the incident, the state regulator added.

A self-driving truck is pictured on a motorway, south of Stockholm, near Södertälje, Sweden, on Nov. 18, 2022. (Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP via Getty Images)

The California DMV said it will remove the ban on operating AVs weighing 10,001 pounds or more, paving the way for autonomous freight operations in California.

“The new regulations have now been officially adopted. Certain provisions are in immediate effect, while others will be phased in over the coming months, pursuant to effective dates,” it stated.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill in 2023 that sought to prevent driverless testing and operations of heavy-duty AVs in the state.

Newsom said at the time that the bill was unnecessary because existing state laws already provide sufficient authority to create a regulatory framework, noting that the California Legislature in 2012 authorized the California DMV to oversee the industry in cooperation with state law enforcement agencies.

“Autonomous vehicle technology is evolving and the DMV remains committed to keeping our rules up to date to reflect its continued development in California,” the governor said in a Sept. 22, 2023, statement.