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SB-480 • 2026

Autonomous vehicles.

Autonomous vehicles.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Archuleta
Last action
2025-10-06
Official status
Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 415, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about the standards for ADS marker lamps or consequences for non-compliance.

Autonomous Vehicles with Marker Lamps

This law allows autonomous vehicles to be equipped with special lights that show when an automated driving system is active, starting in January 2026.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows autonomous vehicles to use ADS marker lamps from January 1, 2026.
  • Defines an ADS marker lamp as a device that emits light indicating the engagement of an automated driving system.
  • Requires these lights to follow certain standards.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Manufacturers of autonomous vehicles
  • Drivers and passengers in autonomous vehicles

Terms To Know

ADS marker lamp
A device that emits light indicating when an automated driving system is engaged.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The specific standards for ADS marker lamps are not detailed in the summary.
  • It does not specify what happens if vehicles do not follow these rules.

Bill History

  1. 2025-10-06 California Legislative Information

    Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 415, Statutes of 2025.

  2. 2025-10-06 California Legislative Information

    Approved by the Governor.

  3. 2025-09-09 California Legislative Information

    Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.

  4. 2025-09-03 California Legislative Information

    Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2443.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

  5. 2025-08-28 California Legislative Information

    In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.

  6. 2025-08-28 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 74. Noes 0. Page 2776.) Ordered to the Senate.

  7. 2025-08-21 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar.

  8. 2025-08-20 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass. Ordered to consent calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 20).

  9. 2025-07-17 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (July 16). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  10. 2025-07-08 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on C. & C. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (July 7). Re-referred to Com. on C. & C.

  11. 2025-06-26 California Legislative Information

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.

  12. 2025-06-05 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on TRANS. and C. & C.

  13. 2025-05-28 California Legislative Information

    In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

  14. 2025-05-27 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 1236.) Ordered to the Assembly.

  15. 2025-04-08 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  16. 2025-04-07 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.

  17. 2025-03-28 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 7.

  18. 2025-03-26 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 14. Noes 0. Page 534.) (March 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  19. 2025-03-18 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing March 25.

  20. 2025-02-26 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on TRANS.

  21. 2025-02-20 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 22.

  22. 2025-02-19 California Legislative Information

    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 480, Archuleta.
Autonomous vehicles.
Existing law authorizes the operation of an autonomous vehicle on public roads for testing purposes by a driver who possesses the proper class of license for the type of vehicle operated if specified requirements are satisfied. Existing law prohibits the operation of an autonomous vehicle on public roads until the manufacturer submits an application to the Department of Motor Vehicles, as specified, and that application is approved. Existing law requires the department to adopt regulations setting forth requirements for the submission and approval of an application, including, among other things, any testing, equipment, and performance standards the department concludes are necessary to ensure the safe operation of autonomous vehicles on public roads, as specified.
This bill would, commencing January 1, 2026, authorize an autonomous vehicle to
be equipped with automated driving system (ADS) marker lamps in accordance with specified standards. For purposes of this provision, the bill would define an “ADS marker lamp” as a device that emits a light to indicate when an ADS is engaged in the operation of the vehicle. The bill would also make conforming changes.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Download Bill PDF