U.S. regulators warn: Robotaxis pose a "danger" to the public

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The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has recorded multiple incidents of autonomous vehicles driving into emergency rescue scenes and blocking the paths of ambulances and fire trucks. These vehicles have also been found to have difficulty accurately identifying traffic cones, flashing warning lights, as well as signals of danger such as smoke and flames.

NHTSA Director Jonathan Morrison sent a direct letter to autonomous driving companies this Wednesday, stating: "An autonomous vehicle that cannot safely interact with emergency responders is a threat to the public. Every second counts when law enforcement officers, firefighters, or paramedics are responding to calls."

Morrison has requested that companies prioritize improving their interactions with emergency services, and stated that NHTSA will hold individual meetings with each company by the end of this month to hear their solutions.

Industry Expansion Accelerates, Safety Risks Increase

The robotaxi industry is undergoing rapid expansion. Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet, is currently the market leader, operating a fleet approaching 4,000 vehicles and providing driverless services in 11 cities. This week, Waymo announced plans to further expand into four new markets: Denver, Las Vegas, San Diego, and Tampa.

Zoox, owned by Amazon, and Tesla's robotaxi service are also accelerating their efforts to catch up. Goldman Sachs predicts that by 2030, the total size of the U.S. commercial robotaxi fleet will reach 62,800 vehicles, with a market size nearing $19 billion.

The larger the fleet, the more frequent its encounters with emergency situations. This is the context behind the regulatory warning now being issued.

No Federal Standard in the U.S.; States Govern Individually

At present, there is no unified federal standard in the U.S. governing how autonomous vehicles interact with emergency responders. In the absence of top-level rules, each state must address the issue on its own.

California and Arizona already require robotaxi companies to establish law enforcement interaction protocols before being approved to provide driverless services. However, not all states have such requirements, and regulatory standards vary widely.

The Trump administration previously focused on promoting the development of autonomous driving technology, including simplifying related regulatory processes. This public warning from NHTSA indicates that federal attention to safety standards is rising.

Regulatory Logic: Technological Potential Does Not Exempt Safety Responsibility

In his letter, Morrison also affirmed the value of autonomous driving technology—it has the potential to reduce road fatalities and help people with disabilities travel.

But he also emphasized that technological advantages cannot be used as an excuse to bypass safety standards. "Public trust on the road is earned, not taken for granted," Morrison wrote.

He made it clear that autonomous vehicles must achieve the same standard as human drivers in responding to law enforcement instructions. This means companies need not only to optimize their algorithms but also to reevaluate their vehicles' perception and decision-making abilities in emergency scenarios at the system level.

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