The California Department of Motor Vehicles announces the release of revised proposed regulations that would allow autonomous vehicle companies to apply for permits to test and deploy heavy-duty technology on California roads and new requirements for light-duty autonomous vehicles.

A 15-day public comment period begins today and runs through Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025.

“California continues to lead in innovation with public engagement as we shape the future of autonomous vehicle use, from passenger services to goods movement,” said California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin. “These updated draft regulations put safety first at every step, and I want to thank our DMV team and Governor Newsom for the steadfast leadership in advancing a thoughtful, inclusive approach to emerging transportation technologies.”

The DMV first released draft regulations in April 2025 for a 45-day public comment period. During that time, the Department received extensive input from a wide range of stakeholders, including industry representatives, local governments, labor organizations, advocacy groups, and members of the public. That feedback informed the revised proposed regulations released today.

The revised proposed regulations for driverless testing and deployment are available on DMV’s Autonomous Vehicles webpage. Stakeholders are encouraged to review the updated regulations and submit written comments by the deadline.

Comments may be submitted via email to: [email protected].

Key changes include:

• Review of safety cases submitted to the Department may involve consultation with third-party experts.
• The requirement to submit disengagement reports has been removed and replaced with reporting on Dynamic Driving Task system failures. Manufacturers operating under a testing permit must submit data to the Department monthly, while deployment data must be reported uarterly.
• Revised language clarifies the placement of an AV Noncompliance Notice within the vehicle, permits law enforcement to mail the form to the manufacturer, and requires the manufacturer to submit the form’s contents to the Department within 72 hours of receipt.
• Approval is granted for medium-duty autonomous commercial motor vehicles — with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of less than 14,001 pounds, that meet the definition of a bus and are designed to carry no more than 15 passengers — to operate on public roads when providing passenger service in partnership with public entities or private universities.
• Regulatory language related to autonomous vehicle indicators and emergency geofence responses has been aligned with the statutory provisions in Vehicle Code Sections 38750 and 38751.

Ed. Note: The above information was provided to KHTS by the California DMV.

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