ATLANTA, Ga. — IRobots can’t get driving tickets. Driverless cars may be weaving through Atlanta’s streets, but if they break the rules, there’s no ticket waiting for them.
The Atlanta Police Department confirmed it cannot issue traffic citations to autonomous vehicles without human drivers, citing a legal gap in the current court system. The revelation has raised questions about whether automated vehicles are being held to the same standards as human drivers.
“The court system is currently unable to process traffic citations for AVs with no human operator,” APD’s policy states. Instead of issuing a ticket, officers must file a report detailing the incident and the law that was broken.
That means even when a driverless Waymo vehicle disrupts traffic — as has happened multiple times according to social media reports — there is no mechanism in place for fines or points, unlike with human drivers.