The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued an unprecedented ultimatum to all autonomous vehicle developers in the United States. Administrator Jonathan Morrison sent a clear directive: it is unacceptable for robotaxis to fail to detect and appropriately respond to emergency situations involving ambulances, fire trucks, and law enforcement. The letter, sent to all companies listed in the Department of Transportation's Standing General Order, demands concrete solutions by the end of the month. Although it does not name any specific company, the directive is widely seen as targeting Waymo, the largest robotaxi operator in the US, with fleets in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco.
Uber-Waymo partnership in Phoenix ends as tensions rise
Another sign of the shifting landscape is the end of the Uber-Waymo partnership in Phoenix. The two companies have already terminated their joint robotaxi service in that city, while remaining partnerships in Atlanta and Austin are still active. According to insiders, the relationship has grown tense: Uber executives have begun taking public jabs at Waymo. With the remaining partnerships expected to expire soon, a more direct confrontation is anticipated, especially in the policy arena where both will vie for market access.
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San Francisco investigates robotaxi impact after July 4 chaos
In San Francisco, Supervisor Bilal Mahmood has announced plans to submit a letter of inquiry examining how autonomous vehicles have affected public transit and emergency responders following the July 4 fireworks display. That night, a massive gridlock paralyzed the city, and numerous Waymo robotaxis ran out of battery and had to be towed. The incident has fueled criticism of the reliability of these vehicles in non-standard situations.
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Rivian raises $1.32 billion as R2 deliveries ramp up
Amid regulatory uncertainty, Rivian announced a major capital raise: 86.25 million Class A common shares priced at $15.50 each, totaling approximately $1.32 billion. The company began delivering its new R2 SUV last month and has raised its 2026 delivery forecast to 65,000-70,000 vehicles, driven by strong quarter-over-quarter growth in EDV and R1, plus the introduction of R2 deliveries. Although Rivian did not officially explain the capital increase, it is clear that funds are needed to scale production, as the company is not yet profitable.
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New federal rules could pave way for steering wheel-less vehicles
On the regulatory front, the latest 2026 Regulatory Plan and Unified Agenda include proposed changes to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). These changes could open the door for autonomous vehicles like those from Tesla and Zoox, which lack steering wheels and pedals and currently do not comply with standards for human-driven cars. Morrison's directive fits into this transitional framework, pushing companies to fix functional gaps before gaining more freedom.
For more on AI's role in transportation, read the analysis of Anthropic and OpenAI. For additional information on NHTSA, visit the NHTSA Wikipedia page.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/12/techcrunch-mobility-a-robotaxi-ultimatum
