Senator Dave Cortese Puts Autonomous Vehicle Industry on Notice, Advances Legislation to Close Safety Gaps and Protect Californians

SACRAMENTO, CA — California State Senator Dave Cortese (D-San José), Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, convened a high-impact informational hearing on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, delivering a clear message to the autonomous vehicle (AV) industry: innovation without accountability will not be tolerated in California.

As AV companies continue expanding operations on public roads, Senator Cortese is advancing Senate Bill 1246 to crack down on regulatory gaps, strengthen safety standards, and force greater transparency from companies deploying this rapidly evolving—and potentially dangerous—technology.

The hearing brought together industry leaders, safety advocates, first responders, labor representatives, and state regulators for a candid assessment of an industry that is already shaping daily life—often faster than safeguards are keeping up.

A video recording of the informational hearing may be found here.

“Autonomous vehicles are not some distant promise—they are here, now, operating on the same streets as our families and first responders,” said Senator Cortese. “The question isn’t whether this technology will move forward—it’s whether we are going to demand it be safe, transparent, and accountable before more people get hurt. Right now, the pace of deployment is outstripping the pace of oversight. That is unacceptable. Californians should not be used as test subjects for unfinished technology.”

The hearing provided a comprehensive—and at times deeply concerning—look at the current state of AV technology in California, including the systems already in use and the fragmented regulatory framework struggling to keep pace. Panelists raised urgent concerns around safety performance, cybersecurity risks, and dangerous gaps in how AV systems interact with emergency responders.

Lawmakers also heard powerful testimony underscoring the human cost of getting this wrong.

“I came here to stand up for every victim and every family who should not have to bury someone, or live the rest of their life broken, because dangerous technology was allowed on public roads without enough rules, transparency, or accountability,” said Dillon Angulo, a Tesla self-driving crash survivor.

“Tesla has reported 59 fatalities to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) involving Full Self-Driving and Autopilot. Over half of those fatalities were right here in California,” said Robert O’Dowd of The Dawn Project. “It is unconscionable to allow millions of users to unwittingly enable a defective AI without crucial fixes.”

The hearing featured three panels representing the full spectrum of stakeholders:

I. Industry Panel

  • Ariel Wolf, Venable LLP / AVIA

  • Dr. Missy Cummings, George Mason University

  • Robert O’Dowd, The Dawn Project

  • Dillon Angulo, Crash Survivor

II. Safety Panel

  • Adam Wood (ret.), San Francisco Fire Department

  • Brandon Sanchez, Deputy Chief, San José Police Department

  • Joseph Augusto, California Gig Workers Union

  • Shane Gusman, Teamsters

III. State Regulatory Agencies Panel

  • Bernard Soriano, Department of Motor Vehicles

  • Miguel Acosta, Department of Motor Vehicles

  • Terra Curtis, California Public Utilities Commission

Testimony highlighted California’s split and insufficient oversight system, where the DMV regulates AV testing and deployment while the CPUC oversees commercial robotaxi services—raising serious concerns about accountability as deployment accelerates statewide.

Panelists also warned of federal proposals such as the SELF DRIVE Act that could strip states of their authority to regulate autonomous vehicles—potentially weakening protections just as risks are becoming more visible.

“California will not hand over its authority to protect the public—not to Washington, and not to private companies,” Cortese added. “If federal action weakens our standards, we will push back. If industry won’t police itself, we will.”

Senate Bill 1246 is part of Senator Cortese’s broader effort to impose real guardrails on the AV industry—strengthening safety data reporting, closing loopholes, and ensuring that innovation does not come at the expense of human lives.

“The bottom line is simple,” Cortese said. “If this technology is going to operate on our streets, it must earn the public’s trust—not assume it.”

The informational hearing made one point unmistakably clear: California is leading on innovation—but it must now lead just as forcefully on accountability.

Senator Dave Cortese represents Senate District 15, which encompasses San Jose and much of Santa Clara County in the heart of Silicon Valley. Visit Senator Cortese’s website: https://sd15.senate.ca.gov

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