Self-Driving Cars Impeding Emergency Responses: NHTSA Demands Immediate Safety Fixes
The head of the top US road safety agency cautioned autonomous vehicle developers in a letter Wednesday about what he called an “unacceptable” pattern of driverless cars interfering with the work of law enforcement and other first responders. The administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Jonathan Morrison, warned that autonomous vehicles unable to safely interact with emergency personnel pose a “danger to the general public.” Morrison outlined a “clear pattern” of interference over recent months, including incidents where vehicles drove into active emergency scenes, blocked ambulances and firefighters, and failed to respond to flashing lights, fire, and traffic cones. He urged developers to “immediately focus their resources on fixing this issue,” stating NHTSA would schedule meetings with companies by July to hear solutions. Neither Waymo nor Zoox responded to WIRED’s request for comment. Officials from several city law enforcement and emergency departments reported Waymo robotaxis impeding responses during a closed-door meeting earlier this year, including Austin’s fire chief describing the vehicles as a “safety issue for our crews as well as the victims.” A San Francisco official noted Waymo’s tech was “backsliding,” and the city’s fire chief claimed the vehicles frequently block stations. An Austin police official alleged Waymos “freeze in difficult situations” and fail to respond to hand signals. A separate City Council meeting showed Austin first responders detailed an instance of a Waymo robotaxi blocking an ambulance for two minutes during a mass shooting. Morrison pledged to “exercise our enforcement authority” for developers not addressing safety concerns, citing prior recalls for Waymo and Zoox related to flooded roads, construction zones, and vehicles stopping in front of traffic. (Both companies stated these were resolved via software updates.) In a press release, NHTSA highlighted the Trump administration’s efforts to ease regulations allowing autonomous vehicles without steering wheels, brakes, or mirrors to operate publicly.