California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1246, establishing new regulations for autonomous vehicles. The law requires companies to provide on-the-ground support to first responders and mandates that remote operators be based in the U.S. with valid driver's licenses.
Under the new legislation, developers must notify local jurisdictions of vehicle status during system failures and provide technicians to assist with accidents. Companies face penalties if a robotaxi blocks emergency services for more than 30 minutes. The law takes effect in July 2028.
In other industry news, Harbinger secured a $300 million contract to supply FedEx with 2,000 electric trucks. Meanwhile, maritime intelligence startup Quartermaster raised $140 million in a Series B round, including $40 million in debt financing from Stifel.
Tesla secured $30 billion in new credit lines to scale future projects, including the Optimus robot and Cybercab. Additionally, Lyft agreed to pay $272.5 million to settle a lawsuit regarding the classification of its drivers in California.
Rivian reported record quarterly sales but issued a recall for its R2 SUV due to potential battery pack fastener issues. Elsewhere, Kodiak announced a partnership with Ikea to begin driverless deliveries on a 219-mile route between Houston and Dallas later this year.
