Self-driving cars are no longer a figment of people’s imaginations, but are in fact a reality that is set to revolutionize the way people commute. While the idea of a driverless car may take some getting used to, one benefit in California is that those vehicles are actually immune from traffic tickets. Under current California laws, driverless cars do not have the legal capacity to commit traffic violations since they are considered “vehicles without drivers”, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. This means that the car itself can’t be held responsible for breaking traffic laws or issue a ticket for running a red light, for example. Naturally, the introduction of autonomous vehicles on the roads has sparked the debate over what type of accountability the owner of the car should be held to. While the vehicles are technically immune to tickets, humans are not off the hook completely. The current moves by the state legislatures are tending towards the idea of making companies or owners of driverless cars involved in a violation responsible for a ticket or fine, much like a criminal law. Many tech companies, including Tesla, Google, and Uber, are advancing the development of autonomous vehicles. But, of course, these companies are only able to move forward with the laws set forth by the individual states. California’s new laws, despite not necessarily offering a concrete solution to how driverless cars will navigate the future, provide a legal framework in which the industry can move forward. Driverless cars are the wave of the future, and while there may be some bumps along the road, laws like the ones in California provide the opportunity for those cars to safely navigate the highways and byways. It seems the future of autonomous vehicles is more promising than ever before.