The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has stated that it will be closely monitoring the testing and the use of autonomous vehicles in the state. The ADOT will take necessary measures to modify a company's authorization for testing and operating autonomous vehicles in Arizona when needed to safeguard public safety.

The news follows the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) suspending General Motors’ (GM’s) autonomous car subsidiary Cruise’s driverless robotaxi deployment permits, citing safety concerns and misrepresentations about its vehicles.

Other state DOTs in Texas, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and Florida and DMV in Nevada have not yet commented on the matter — where companies including Cruise and Alphabet-owned Waymo are currently testing their self-driving car technologies.

Analyst QuickTake: It comes as no surprise that regulators in Arizona are keen on intensifying their oversight of autonomous vehicle operations, especially in light of a tragic incident that occurred in the state. In 2018 , a self-driving car, part of Uber's autonomous vehicle division at the time, Uber ATG, was involved in a fatal accident resulting in the loss of a woman's life. The safety driver in control of the vehicle pleaded guilty and was subsequently sentenced to probation in July 2023.