Robotaxi and Rideshare Injuries in California: Waymo, Uber, Lyft, and Who Pays

Driverless robotaxis now carry riders in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego, and rideshare cars are everywhere. When one of them is involved in a crash, the questions are different from an ordinary collision between two private drivers. Whose insurance applies can turn on what the app showed at the moment of the crash, and a driverless car has no human driver to question at the scene.

In plain terms: After a robotaxi or rideshare crash in California, the people who may be responsible include the company operating the vehicle, the rideshare driver, another human driver, and sometimes a vehicle or technology maker. For Uber and Lyft drivers, California’s Public Utilities Code sets minimum insurance that changes with the trip phase. Driverless cars are permitted by the DMV and, for passenger service, the California Public Utilities Commission.

This page is general information, not legal advice. It collects our robotaxi and rideshare guides in one place. If you were hurt, seek medical care first, even if you feel fine.

If you were hurt as a passenger, a driver, a pedestrian, or a cyclist, Win Attorneys handles rideshare and delivery accidents and motor vehicle accidents statewide. Our office is fluent in Spanish and Vietnamese.

Talk to us at (562) 296-5380 or reach out through our contact page to talk through your situation. Office: 17291 Irvine Blvd., Suite 210, Tustin, CA 92780.

Who Pays After a Robotaxi or Rideshare Crash in California?

Short answer: It depends on three things: whether a human driver was using a rideshare app or the car was driving itself, what phase of the trip the car was in, and whether you were a passenger, another driver, or someone on foot or a bike. The responsible party could be the operating company, a driver, another motorist, or a manufacturer.

California’s general negligence rule, Civil Code section 1714, makes everyone responsible for injuries caused by a lack of ordinary care. That rule applies to rideshare drivers and to other motorists, and it is the starting point for claims against a company that operates driverless vehicles. When a defect in the vehicle or its technology causes harm, California product liability law, which traces to Greenman v. Yuba Power Products (1963) 59 Cal.2d 57, may also apply.

Insurance is a separate question from fault. A rideshare crash usually involves layered policies, while a robotaxi crash involves the operating company’s own coverage. The sections below walk through each.

How Does Uber and Lyft Insurance Work by Trip Phase?

Short answer: Under Public Utilities Code section 5433, coverage depends on the app status. While the driver is logged on and waiting for a request, lower primary limits apply plus excess coverage. From the moment a driver accepts a ride until it is complete, $1,000,000 in primary liability coverage applies.

California calls Uber and Lyft transportation network companies, or TNCs. Section 5431 defines a TNC as a company that uses an app to connect passengers with drivers using a personal vehicle. Section 5433 sets these minimum layers:

App off. Section 5433 does not apply. The driver’s own auto insurance is usually the starting point.
Logged on, waiting for a request. Primary coverage of at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per incident for death and personal injury, and $30,000 for property damage, plus excess coverage of at least $200,000 per occurrence that the TNC must maintain, under section 5433(c). The same layer applies after a ride ends until the driver accepts another request or logs off.
Ride accepted through ride complete. Primary coverage of $1,000,000 for death, personal injury, and property damage, under section 5433(b)(1). This runs from the moment the driver accepts a request, including the drive to the pickup.
Passenger in the car. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage that the TNC alone must provide, under section 5433(b)(2), from the moment the passenger gets in until the passenger gets out.

Two more rules matter. If a driver’s own TNC policy has lapsed, section 5433(e) requires the TNC to provide the required coverage from the first dollar. And section 5433(f) says these minimums do not limit a TNC’s liability above the required coverage. Because app status decides which layer applies, screenshots and trip records are some of the most important evidence in a rideshare claim. Our rideshare and delivery accidents page covers delivery apps and Prop 22.

What Did SB 371 Change for Rideshare UM and UIM Coverage?

Short answer: SB 371 lowered the uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage a TNC must carry for passengers from $1,000,000 to $60,000 per person and $300,000 per incident, starting January 1, 2026. That coverage is primary and is solely the TNC’s obligation.

SB 371 is Chapter 314, Statutes of 2025. It amended Public Utilities Code section 5433(b)(2). The passenger-period UM and UIM layer matters most when an uninsured or underinsured driver hits the rideshare car. SB 371 did not change the separate $1,000,000 primary liability requirement during an accepted ride. Whether your own auto policy’s UM or UIM coverage can also respond depends on your policy language. Read California rideshare UM and UIM after SB 371.

How Does SB 623 Change Medical Liens in Rideshare and Delivery Claims?

Short answer: For crashes on or after January 1, 2027, SB 623 limits how much an injured person can recover for past treatment from a lien-based provider in a claim against a rideshare or delivery company, its subsidiary, or an app-based driver. The cap is the 70th percentile of FAIR Health billed charges for the same or similar service in the same area.

SB 623 is Chapter 17, Statutes of 2026, approved June 25, 2026. It adds Civil Code section 3333.9. A lien-based provider is one who treats you in exchange for a lien on your future settlement or judgment rather than billing insurance as care is given. The new rule applies when the claim is against a network company, as defined in Business and Professions Code section 7463, its subsidiary, or an app-based driver. It does not apply to a crash between two private drivers, and it does not reach services, liens, or receivables that arose before January 1, 2027. The law also includes rules on lien sales and discovery, and it changes driver background checks and adds an option for women riders and drivers to request matches with women. Read what SB 623 changes for rideshare medical liens.

Who Is Responsible When a Waymo or Other Driverless Car Crashes?

Short answer: Usually the company operating the driverless car, another human driver, or both, depending on the facts. A manufacturer may also be responsible if a defect played a part. Passengers face an extra step: the company’s rider terms may require arbitration.

Vehicle Code section 38750 defines an autonomous vehicle as one with integrated technology that can drive it without active physical control or monitoring by a human operator, at SAE automation Levels 3, 4, or 5. When no one is in the driver’s seat, the statute treats the person who causes the autonomous technology to engage as the operator. Section 38750 also requires a manufacturer testing autonomous vehicles to carry insurance, a surety bond, or proof of self-insurance of $5,000,000, and requires applicants for deployment to certify they will maintain that amount.

Fault in a robotaxi crash is decided the same way as any other crash, by looking at what each vehicle and driver did. The difference is the evidence. A robotaxi records sensor data and video, and the company keeps remote support logs. An October 5, 2026 Los Angeles Times analysis of federal crash data reported 219 Waymo crashes in Los Angeles County in 2025, 69 in 2024, and 186 so far in 2026, and said most this year caused no apparent injuries. Read Hit by a Waymo in California: who pays after a driverless car crash and our San Diego guide, hurt in a Waymo or robotaxi crash: who pays and what to save.

What Rules Do the DMV and CPUC Set for Robotaxis?

Short answer: The DMV issues permits to test and deploy autonomous vehicles and adopted major new rules on April 28, 2026. The CPUC separately authorizes companies to carry passengers in autonomous vehicles and to charge fares.

DMV. The DMV announced new autonomous vehicle regulations on April 28, 2026. According to the DMV, they create a process for police to issue a Notice of AV Noncompliance to a manufacturer when its vehicle commits a moving violation, require two-way communication with first responders and a 30-second response time, let local emergency officials order AVs out of an active emergency zone within two minutes, and expand collision and safety data reporting. The DMV says some provisions took effect immediately and others phase in over time.

CPUC. The CPUC authorized driverless pilot passenger service in Decision 18-05-043 and deployment programs, which allow fares, in Decision 20-11-046, as modified by Decision 21-05-017. Companies in the driverless programs must submit passenger safety plans, and deployment participants need a DMV deployment permit. According to the Los Angeles Times reporting, the CPUC, not individual cities, currently governs robotaxi expansion into new cities.

SB 1246. Signed September 30, 2026, as Chapter 1021, Statutes of 2026, SB 1246 adds emergency response and oversight duties for AV companies, with its main provisions operative July 1, 2028. It does not create a new way to recover money for injuries.

What Crash Records Exist for Driverless Cars?

Short answer: Several. California law requires stored sensor data before a collision, the DMV collects manufacturer collision reports, and federal rules require companies to report certain crashes to NHTSA.

Sensor data. Under Vehicle Code section 38750, the vehicle must capture and store sensor data for at least 30 seconds before a collision in autonomous mode, and the data must be preserved for three years.
DMV collision reports. Manufacturers report collisions to the DMV, which links to those reports from its autonomous vehicle pages. You can also report an AV incident to the DMV directly.
NHTSA reports. Under NHTSA’s Third Amended Standing General Order 2021-01, effective June 16, 2025, named companies must report certain crashes involving automated driving systems. NHTSA publishes summary data with personal information removed.

Records exist, but they are not automatically yours. A preservation letter should go out early.

Does It Matter Whether I Was a Passenger, Another Driver, a Pedestrian, or a Cyclist?

Short answer: Yes. Your role changes which insurance layer applies, whether an arbitration clause may come into play, and which of your own policies can help.

Rideshare passengers. You are inside the accepted-ride window, so the $1,000,000 liability layer and the TNC’s passenger UM and UIM layer can both be in play. Rideshare apps’ terms can also contain dispute rules, so keep a copy of the version you accepted. For how one passenger death case was decided in arbitration, see the Orange County Uber freeway passenger abandonment case.

Robotaxi passengers. Waymo’s Terms of Service, last updated September 29, 2026, send most rider claims to individual arbitration before JAMS, allow an opt-out within 30 days of first accepting the terms, and require a written Claimant Notice before arbitration. Whether a clause is enforced in a given case is a legal question.

Other drivers. If a rideshare driver hit you, the trip phase decides the coverage layer. If the at-fault driver was uninsured, your own UM coverage may help. See our UM and UIM claims page.

Pedestrians and cyclists. You are not a party to any rider terms, so a robotaxi company’s arbitration clause generally does not bind you on its own terms. The same fault and insurance rules apply. See pedestrian and micromobility accidents.

When a public entity is involved. If a city bus, a public road defect, or a government vehicle played a part, a written claim is generally due within six months. See our California government claims guide.

What Deadlines Apply to Robotaxi and Rideshare Injury Claims?

Short answer: Most California personal injury lawsuits must be filed within two years under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. Claims against a public entity usually require a written claim within six months. Arbitration terms can add notice steps.

A wrongful death claim is brought by the family members listed in Code of Civil Procedure section 377.60 and generally follows the same two-year rule. Insurance claims are not lawsuits, and talking with an adjuster does not stop the clock. If the crash is on or after January 1, 2027 and involves a rideshare or delivery company, SB 623 may also affect how medical bills are handled, so choose providers with that in mind.

What Should I Do After a Robotaxi or Rideshare Crash?

Short answer: Get medical care, call police, capture the app screens and vehicle details, and ask the company in writing to preserve its video and data.

Get medical care and keep every record.
Call 911 or report the crash to police, and ask for the report number.
Screenshot the app: trip status, driver and vehicle details, route, and receipts.
For a robotaxi, photograph the vehicle number and any markings, and note the time to the minute.
Get names and contact details for witnesses, and look for nearby cameras.
Send a written preservation request for video, sensor data, and trip logs.
Tell your own insurer, but be careful about recorded statements to the company’s insurer.

Robotaxi and Rideshare Injury FAQs

Who pays if a Waymo hits my car in California?

Usually the company operating the robotaxi, if its vehicle was at fault, or another driver if that driver caused the crash. A manufacturer may also be responsible in some cases. Vehicle Code section 38750 requires autonomous vehicle manufacturers to maintain $5,000,000 in insurance, a bond, or self-insurance.

How much insurance does Uber or Lyft carry during a ride?

Under Public Utilities Code section 5433(b)(1), from the moment the driver accepts a ride request until the ride is complete, the required primary liability coverage is $1,000,000 for death, personal injury, and property damage.

What if the rideshare driver was logged in but had no passenger?

While the driver is logged on and waiting, section 5433(c) requires primary coverage of at least $50,000 per person, $100,000 per incident, and $30,000 for property damage, plus at least $200,000 in excess coverage per occurrence.

Did SB 371 lower rideshare UM and UIM coverage?

Yes. Starting January 1, 2026, the TNC must provide passenger-period UM and UIM coverage of $60,000 per person and $300,000 per incident, down from $1,000,000. The coverage is primary and is solely the TNC’s obligation.

What does SB 623 change for my medical bills?

For crashes on or after January 1, 2027, in claims against a rideshare or delivery company, its subsidiary, or an app-based driver, recovery for past treatment from a lien-based provider is capped at the 70th percentile of FAIR Health billed charges for the same or similar service in the area.

Do I have to arbitrate a claim against Waymo?

Possibly, if you were a rider. Waymo’s Terms of Service, last updated September 29, 2026, send most rider claims to individual arbitration before JAMS unless the rider opted out within 30 days of first accepting the terms. Enforcement in a given case is a legal question.

Can a pedestrian or cyclist hit by a robotaxi make a claim?

Yes. A pedestrian or cyclist can bring a negligence claim against whoever caused the crash, and the rider terms that apply to passengers generally do not bind someone who never accepted them.

Who regulates robotaxis in California?

The DMV permits testing and deployment of autonomous vehicles, and the CPUC authorizes passenger service and fares. NHTSA requires companies to report certain crashes involving automated driving systems.

How long do I have to file a robotaxi or rideshare injury claim?

Most California injury lawsuits must be filed within two years under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. If a public entity is involved, a written claim is generally due within six months under Government Code section 911.2.

Talk to us at (562) 296-5380 or reach out through our contact page. Office: 17291 Irvine Blvd., Suite 210, Tustin, CA 92780.

Disclaimer

This page is general information for educational purposes. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Statutes are summarized from their current text, and agency rules are summarized from DMV and CPUC pages as checked in October 2026. Crash figures are attributed to the Los Angeles Times. No fault is assigned to anyone. Outcomes depend on the facts of each matter. Seek medical care for injuries. Consult a licensed California attorney about your situation.