A bill aimed at granting California cities increased authority over self-driving car companies is gaining momentum statewide. This move comes amidst the expansion of services by autonomous vehicle giant Waymo into San Mateo County. Earlier this month, Waymo received approval from state regulators to extend its services beyond San Francisco into San Mateo County and suburban areas of Los Angeles.
Currently, the California Department of Motor Vehicles and the Public Utilities Commission are the primary bodies responsible for granting companies like Waymo permission to operate. Additionally, it would enable local governments to impose limitations on the number of self-driving cars allowed to operate simultaneously and establish operational regulations.Moreover, cities and counties would be authorized to impose fees or service charges to fund the enforcement of their local regulations.