California’s Department of Motor Vehicles is enacting new regulations that mean cars without drivers, such as Tesla Robotaxis and Waymo rideshare cars, will be subject to police ticketing — even though there’s no driver in the car to accept it.
The change is part of a rollout of 2024 legislation on autonomous vehicles and part of a set of new requirements approved on April 28 by the state’s DMV. The ticketing would be a “notice of AV (autonomous vehicle) noncompliance” issued to the manufacturer of an autonomous vehicle.
Other requirements involve testing self-driving cars before they hit the road: 50,000 miles of testing in each phase of development for light-duty vehicles and 500,000 miles for heavy-duty vehicles like semi trucks. The rules include more control over self-driving cars during emergencies.
“These updates support the growth of the AV industry by enhancing public safety and transparency while adding additional accountability for AV manufacturers,” the DMV’s director, Steve Gordon, said in a statement.
A representative for Waymo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Clearing up ticketing confusion
Sam Abuelsamid, an autonomous vehicle safety expert and analyst for auto research firm Telemetry, said that the California rules clear up a disconnect that prevented law enforcement from issuing citations.
“In the absence of a human driver, the laws were somewhat ambiguous about who to issue the ticket to, and every manufacturer has different ways for police and emergency responders to interact with AVs, so tickets often didn’t get issued,” Abuelsamid said.
He explained, “If a Waymo violates a traffic law, the ticket goes to Waymo in Mountain View. If a Zoox does it, they get the ticket. Whoever is responsible for the software is considered the driver.”
Because companies working on the software and hardware for these types of vehicles are in competition with each other, they aren’t keen on sharing data.
Abuelsamid said there’s no readily available safety data for the self-driving vehicle industry at present. However, as far as general safety, he said, “Most AVs tend to drive fairly conservatively and rarely ever directly cause a crash.”
But that conservative driving style can lead human drivers to run into them, and they can also act out in other ways, such as Waymo’s issue with school buses.
That points to another thing people should know about self-driving cars. They’re not all built the same. Tesla, for instance, uses different technologies than other companies, which has led to some unpredictable behavior in its Robotaxi fleet, which still relies on human monitors in many cases.
A representative from Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Rewards cards are frequently rolling out high-value welcome offers. If you’re a travel enthusiast like us at TPG, it’s likely you’re keeping your eyes peeled for standout bonuses.
This month, we’ve compiled five of our favorite cards with stellar offers right now. These range from top-tier business cards to cobranded options for your next trip — and you won’t want to miss out on the value.
Plus, there are even more limited-time offers available, so don’t stop your search here if none of these currently suit your needs.
Our favorite credit card welcome offers in April 2026
Card
Welcome offer
Welcome offer value*
Annual fee
Earn 200,000 bonus points after spending $20,000 on purchases in the first three months of card membership.
$4,000
Earn 100,000 bonus points and a 25,000-point Global Companion Award after spending $6,500 on purchases in the first 90 days from account opening. Plus, receive a 50% flight discount code for a qualifying future flight after opening your new account.
$1,750 (including the value of the Global Companion Award)
$395
Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, upon approval, receive a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use during the first year.
$1,638
$95
Receive a $300 electronic Disney gift card immediately upon approval, plus earn a $300 statement credit after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
$600
$149
Earn 200,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. This offer ends May 13.
$1,500
*Welcome offer value is determined using TPG’s April 2026 valuations and is not provided or reviewed by the issuer.
The Business Platinum Card from American Express
Luxury-minded travelers who qualify for a business card will love the many perks that come with an Amex Business Platinum Card membership.
THE POINTS GUY
Welcome offer: Earn 200,000 bonus points after spending $20,000 on purchases in the first three months of card membership.
Why we love it: Carly Helfand, TPG’s director of points, miles and credit card content, loves the statement credits on her Amex Business Platinum, especially since they led to her enjoying up to $600 in hotel credits** last year. She said she’s already used the benefit twice — once last December for a stay at Wynn Las Vegas and once in February for a stay at the Andaz Prague.
Carly also loves the card’s Hilton statement credit of up to $50 per quarter on eligible purchases made directly with a property in the Hilton portfolio***. She said she finds these credits super easy to maximize and recently used one to cover poolside dining charges at the Boeira Garden Hotel Porto Gaia, Curio Collection by Hilton in Portugal.
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**The hotel credits are received as two statement credits of up to $300 biannually on prepaid American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings with Amex Travel when you pay with your Amex Business Platinum. The Hotel Collection stays require a two-night minimum.
***Enrollment is required. Separate Hilton for Business program membership is required.
The Atmos Rewards Summit is an excellent card for Alaska and Hawaiian loyalists, but there’s plenty for other types of travelers to love as well.
THE POINTS GUY
Welcome offer: Earn 100,000 bonus points and a 25,000-point Global Companion Award after spending $6,500 on purchases in the first 90 days from account opening. Plus, receive a 50% flight discount code for a qualifying future flight after opening your new account.
Why we love it: Even though senior credit cards editor Giselle Gomez doesn’t live in an Alaska Airlines hub, she decided to open the Summit because she frequently flies with Oneworld alliance partners. She said she loves that she can rack up Atmos Rewards points to redeem them for flights with partner airlines.
Plus, the card earns 3 points per dollar spent on foreign purchases, which makes it an easy go-to option when she’s abroad.
The Venture Rewards stands out as a fantastic option for travelers looking to collect valuable rewards with simplicity.
THE POINTS GUY
Welcome offer: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, upon approval, receive a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use during the first year.
Disney fans, listen up: The all-new Disney Inspire Visa can unlock massive savings for your next trip to the castle.
THE POINTS GUY
Welcome offer: Receive a $300 electronic Disney gift card immediately upon approval, plus earn a $300 statement credit after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Why we love it: Senior points and miles editor Gabrielle Bernardini visits Disney World a few times a year, so she enjoys receiving a $100 statement credit each anniversary year (after spending $200 on U.S. park tickets) with the Disney Inspire.
This perk helps Gabrielle offset one of the biggest Disney vacation expenses: park tickets.
In the world of cobranded hotel cards, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant provides solid top-tier perks for those loyal to the brand.
THE POINTS GUY
Welcome offer: Earn 200,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. This offer ends May 13.
Why we love it: Senior editor Christine Gallipeau initially added the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant to her wallet to receive the card’s automatic Platinum Elite status, which she knew she’d take full advantage of while traveling, as well as during staycations in the Washington, D.C., area with her hotel-loving pup. However, it now stays in her wallet for several other reasons.
In addition to enjoying late checkout and free breakfast at select Marriott properties, Christine also maximizes the card’s dining statement credits (up to $25 each month for eligible dining purchases worldwide). She also loves applying her annual free night award (worth up to 85,000 points; certain hotels have resort fees) toward a staycation each year at one of her favorite local hotels, The Ritz-Carlton Georgetown, Washington, D.C., where rates are often close to or over $1,000 a night.
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