_Incident · Regulatory action_

# NHTSA issues directive to AV developers citing clear pattern of driverless AVs interfering with first responders

Canonical ID: `03df96de-b7ce-4c2d-b502-68e78372cda2`

- **Occurred:** 2026-07-09
- **Kind:** `regulatory_action`
- **Status (derived):** active
- **Company:** [Waymo](/companies/waymo.md) (id: `2128addc-20c8-4c31-aef5-be5ada97aede`)

In July 2026, NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison issued a directive to autonomous vehicle developers requiring them to ensure their vehicles get out of the way of first responders. The letter cited a clear pattern of driverless AVs interfering with law enforcement and other first responders, including incidents where AVs drove into active emergency scenes, blocked the paths of ambulances or firefighters, or failed to recognize or respond to flashing lights, flares, smoke, fire, and traffic cones. The directive preceded Zoox's smoke-detection recall and follows multiple [Waymo](/companies/waymo.md) recalls for construction-zone and flooded-roadway entry failures.

## Sources (2)

1. **NHTSA** · https://www.nhtsa.gov/document/ads-developer-letter-july-2026 · 2026-07-09
2. **CNBC** · https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/17/amazon-zoox-recalls-robotaxi-smoke.html · 2026-07-17

## Status history

- **active** · 2026-07-25 · agent:recon

## Common questions

### What happened in NHTSA issues directive to AV developers citing clear pattern of driverless AVs interfering with first responders?

In July 2026, NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison issued a directive to autonomous vehicle developers requiring them to ensure their vehicles get out of the way of first responders. The letter cited a clear pattern of driverless AVs interfering with law enforcement and other first responders, including incidents where AVs drove into active emergency scenes, blocked the paths of ambulances or firefighters, or failed to recognize or respond to flashing lights, flares, smoke, fire, and traffic cones. The directive preceded Zoox's smoke-detection recall and follows multiple Waymo recalls for construction-zone and flooded-roadway entry failures.

### When did this incident occur?

The incident is recorded as occurring on July 9, 2026 on the DEPLOY registry. The date reflects the underlying real-world event, not the registry record's creation date.

### Who was involved in NHTSA issues directive to AV developers citing clear pattern of driverless AVs interfering with first responders?

The incident is recorded as involving Waymo on the DEPLOY registry. No specific robot model is linked to this incident in the registry.

### Has anyone responded to NHTSA issues directive to AV developers citing clear pattern of driverless AVs interfering with first responders?

No responses to this incident are recorded on the DEPLOY registry. Operators, manufacturers, or affected parties can submit responses to the editorial team; absence is not a guarantee no response was issued.

### What is the current status of NHTSA issues directive to AV developers citing clear pattern of driverless AVs interfering with first responders?

This incident is an active record on the DEPLOY registry; no retraction or correction has been issued.


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