# California's driverless-vehicle rules require a way for passengers to reach remote support staff, and an emergency line answered within 30 seconds

Page: https://flyvolo.ai/en/changes/ev-20260428-ride-hail-driver-6
Date: 2026-04-28 · Stage: Constraint
Can this record move a task judgement? yes
Occupation: https://flyvolo.ai/en/careers/ride-hail-driver

## Scope

California, United States. The adopted regulations require that, from 1 July 2026, makers of driverless light vehicles certify a dedicated emergency response telephone line staffed so that calls are picked up within 30 seconds by remote operations support personnel with situational awareness of the vehicle, and that vehicles designed for passenger service have a method of two-way communication to give remote operations support to passengers if the vehicle has a failure or other condition endangering them. Approved April 2026. People are required at a distance, not in the vehicle.

## Source

- California Department of Motor Vehicles — adopted regulatory text, Title 13, Division 1, Chapter 1, Article 3.8 'Deployment of Autonomous Vehicles' (approved April 2026) — https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/file/adopted-regulatory-text-article-3-8-2025-0415-04-pdf/ (primary source)

## What this means

In California, a driverless ride must still put passengers in touch with a person when something goes wrong.

## What it does not show yet

Remote staff, not a driver, and only for emergencies and failures.

## How to verify it yourself

Open the California DMV's adopted text for Article 3.8 and find "two-way communication for purposes of providing remote operations support to any passengers".


More: https://flyvolo.ai/llms.txt