Technology
Why self-driving cars are able to completely break the rules in this California city
If it feels like technology is speeding ahead, you might be right. In some states, like California, the laws have yet to catch up with technology.
If ride-share drivers and rental scooters aren’t complicating the roadways enough already, now there are self-driving cars on the road and no one to hold them accountable.
With the ability to cause as much damage as a car with a driver, it would seem natural to assume that there would be the same level of consequence or recourse for self-driving cars.
Yet, unlike Arizona and Texas, the laws have not been changed in California.
CLICK TO GET KURT’S FREE CYBERGUY NEWSLETTER WITH SECURITY ALERTS, QUICK VIDEO TIPS, TECH REVIEWS, AND EASY HOW-TO’S TO MAKE YOU SMARTER
Cruise AV (Kelley Blue Book)
How autonomous vehicles escape traffic tickets in the city by the bay
In San Francisco, autonomous vehicles (AV) have been allowed to operate without a driver within city limits since 2022. While AVs can be stopped by an officer like any other vehicle on the road, a citation cannot be written unless there is a driver or safety driver present overseeing the operation of the car.
Cruise AV (Kelley Blue Book)
MORE: FIRST HUMANOID ROBOT FACTORY IN THE U.S. CAN CRANK OUT 10,000 ROBOTS A YEAR
Technically, the registered owner of the AV can be cited for non-moving violations such as parking violations. Alarmingly, the registered owner of an AV cannot be cited for moving violations, such as blowing past a stop sign or driving down the wrong side of the street.
“Subject to ticket” sign (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutsson)
MORE: CRIME-FIGHTING AI ROBOCOP IS KEEPING AN EYE ON NEW YORK’S SUBWAY RIDERS
Why California needs to catch up with other states on autonomous vehicle laws
While states like Arizona and Texas have updated their laws so that self-driving cars can get moving violation citations with or without a driver present, California has not. Because of this technicality, California has become the wild, wild west for AVs as self-driving cars do not face the same consequences for moving violations. This is especially troubling as one could argue that the potential damage moving violations can cause is usually greater than that from nonmoving violations.
Ironically, California has the largest market for robotaxis, which are AVs. There are over 500 AVs operating in San Francisco alone between Waymo and Cruise, and this is before the controversial vote allowing for their expansion. Compare that to Austin, Texas, where only 125 AVs are operating.
Street in San Francisco (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutsson)
MORE: HOW THIS ROBOT HELPS YOU PROTECT AND CONNECT YOUR HOME
The urgent need for legal reform on autonomous vehicles in San Francisco
San Francisco locals and officials alike have been reporting the challenges of inhabiting a city teeming with AVs. From blocking emergency response teams to dragging a pedestrian under an AV, it is clear that something needs to change, legally.
While top robotaxis companies such as such as Cruise are taking a step back and pausing service after the widely publicized pedestrian dragging incident, it is clear that the law needs to speed up the technology.
Cruise AV on the street (Cruise)
What can be done to make autonomous vehicles safer and more accountable?
As technology advances, so should the laws that govern it. AVs are not just a novelty, they are a reality that affects the lives and safety of millions of people. San Francisco, as one of the leading cities for AV innovation, should also be a leader in AV regulation. There are several steps that can be taken to make AVs safer and more accountable in San Francisco.
Updating the laws to allow for moving violation citations for AVs, regardless of whether there is a driver present or not. This would create a deterrent for reckless or faulty AV behavior and ensure that the registered owners of AVs are held responsible for their actions.
WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?
Creating a clear and transparent system for reporting and investigating AV incidents, especially those involving injuries or fatalities. This would help to identify the causes and prevention of AV accidents and improve public trust and confidence in AV technology.
Establishing a minimum standard for AV safety and performance, such as requiring AVs to have sensors, cameras, and communication systems that can detect and avoid obstacles, pedestrians, and other vehicles. This would ensure that AVs are capable of operating safely and reliably in complex and dynamic urban environments.
Collaborating with AV companies, researchers, and stakeholders to develop best practices and guidelines for AV testing and deployment. This would foster a culture of innovation and cooperation among the AV industry and the public sector and ensure that AVs are aligned with the needs and values of the community.
Kurt’s key takeaways
AVs can change the way we travel, move, and live in San Francisco and beyond. But they also bring significant challenges and risks that need to be dealt with and controlled. By taking proactive and responsible steps to regulate autonomous vehicles, San Francisco can make sure that AVs are not only a technological wonder but also a social good.
Are there AVs in your city yet? Who do you trust more to do the driving: humans or machines? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
For more of my tech tips & security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.
Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover.
Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:
Copyright 2024 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Whether it’s managing a busy home or looking out for everyone around them, moms spend a lot of time every day caring for others. Mother’s Day, May 10th, is an opportunity to return the favor, so we’ve rounded up practical gadgets and little luxuries that can lighten her load.
This year’s picks are designed to support moms in a variety of ways, regardless of their interests. Some of our recs, like Roborock’s mop-equipped Q10 Plus, can help save precious time, while smart screens like the Skylight Calendar 2 can help take the stress out of managing a busy family schedule. Other gifts are all about relaxation and self-care, whether through wel …
Read the full story at The Verge.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
You grab a box of cereal off the shelf. Your neighbor grabs the exact same box at the exact same store on the exact same day. She pays less. You pay more. Why? Because the store’s algorithm decided you would.
That scenario sounds like a conspiracy theory. It isn’t. Retailers have been quietly using this kind of pricing for years, and now one state has finally had enough.
Maryland is set to become the first U.S. state to ban surveillance pricing in retail grocery stores and certain grocery delivery platforms. Governor Wes Moore has said he will sign the Protection from Predatory Pricing Act into law after the state legislature passed it, and the rule will take effect on October 1, 2026.
Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
- Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox.
- For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit CyberGuy.com – trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily.
- Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join.
WHAT HACKERS CAN LEARN ABOUT YOU FROM A DATA BROKER FILE
Maryland is set to ban surveillance pricing at grocery stores, targeting a practice critics say lets retailers charge shoppers different prices for the same item. (SDI Productions/Getty Images)
What is surveillance pricing and how does it work?
Surveillance pricing goes by a few names: dynamic pricing and personalized pricing are the common ones, but the concept is the same regardless of what you call it.
A store collects data on you as an individual shopper. It looks at how often you browse certain products, what neighborhood you live in and whether a competitor is nearby, what your income and family size appear to be, and your dietary habits. Then it uses all of that to decide how much you specifically are willing to pay and charges you accordingly.
One Kroger shopper in Oregon decided to find out exactly what her grocery store knew about her. She submitted a data request under a state privacy law and received a 62-page profile in return. Most of the inferences in that profile were wrong. That’s the part that should make your stomach drop. Retailers are charging people based on guesses, and those guesses are frequently inaccurate.
Why Maryland is moving to ban surveillance pricing now
The timing here matters. Maryland didn’t pass this bill in a vacuum. Major retailers, including Walmart, have been rolling out digital price tags on store shelves. Unlike paper tags, these electronic displays can update instantly. Pair that capability with predictive pricing software, and a store can change what you’re charged in real-time based on whatever the algorithm decides at that moment.
Governor Moore pointed to the financial pressure already squeezing working families and argued that new technology should not become another tool for squeezing them harder. Consumer Reports actively lobbied for the bill, which speaks to how significant the consumer protection concern really is. Still, the organization was honest about the result: the final version of the law falls short of what advocates originally wanted.
What Maryland’s surveillance pricing law actually does
The Protection from Predatory Pricing Act sets some clear ground rules for large grocery retailers. Stores must keep their prices fixed for at least one full business day. That eliminates the possibility of prices spiking by the hour based on demand signals or individual shopper data.
Retailers are also prohibited from using surveillance data, shopping history, ethnicity or income to set different prices for different customers at the same time.
Loyalty programs and promotional offers are still allowed. That exemption was a concession to the retail industry, and it’s one of the places where critics say the law starts to lose its teeth.
RETAIL PRICES CAN JUMP IN SECONDS WITH HIGH-TECH STORE PRICE TAGS
Digital price tags are replacing paper tags in Walmart stores, allowing retail prices to change instantly with new technology. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Surveillance pricing is already happening online
Brick-and-mortar surveillance pricing gets most of the attention, but the same issue shows up in online grocery shopping.
Consumer Reports ran an investigation into Instacart’s pricing practices last December. Nearly 400 shoppers purchased the same basket of groceries from the same stores at the same time. The price differences were striking. Depending on the product, shoppers were paying up to 23% more than other shoppers for identical items. Across a full year of shopping, those gaps could add up to more than $1,200 per household.
After the investigation went public, Instacart announced it was ending the program responsible for those discrepancies. That outcome matters. It shows that consumer pressure and public scrutiny can drive real changes, even before a law requires them.
Which states could follow Maryland’s surveillance pricing ban
Maryland may have moved first, but it won’t be alone for long. California, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey and other states are exploring similar legislation, while New York has already enacted a related pricing transparency law.
What happens next in those states will be telling. Advocates are hoping they avoid the exemptions that weakened Maryland’s version. Each new bill is an opportunity to close the loopholes the retail industry has worked hard to create.
Consumers have been subject to dynamic pricing in airlines, rideshares and e-commerce platforms for years. Grocery stores represent something different, a daily necessity where price manipulation hits people with the least financial flexibility the hardest.
What this surveillance pricing law means for you
No matter where you live, this law matters to your wallet. If you shop in Maryland, the change is immediate. Starting October 1, 2026, you have a legal right to the same shelf price as every other shopper who walks in that day, regardless of what data the store has collected on you. If you shop anywhere else in the country, pay attention because your state may not be far behind. California, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey and other states are exploring similar legislation, while New York has already taken steps toward pricing transparency. The momentum is real, and Maryland just handed those states a working template to build from.
10 THINGS TO STOP PAYING FOR TO SAVE MONEY NOW
A new Maryland law targets stores that change the price of products based on consumers’ data. (Douglas Rissing/Getty Images)
That said, wherever you shop right now, the exemptions in Maryland’s law are worth understanding. The Maryland Retail Alliance pushed hard against this bill and successfully carved out several exceptions during the legislative process. Consumer Reports flagged one irony in particular: loyalty program prices are exempt, which means stores could shift pricing in ways that favor members and potentially disadvantage non-members, effectively punishing non-members rather than rewarding members.
The enforcement side is also limited in ways that should concern any consumer. If a retailer violates the law, you cannot sue them yourself under these specific provisions of the law. Only the Maryland Attorney General has that authority. And before the AG can take action, the retailer gets a written notice and a 45-day window to correct the violation with no legal consequences. First-time violators face fines of up to $10,000. Repeat offenders face up to $25,000 in fines.
For a major grocery chain generating hundreds of millions in revenue, those fines barely register.
Take my quiz: How safe is your online security?
Think your devices and data are truly protected? Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand. From passwords to Wi-Fi settings, you’ll get a personalized breakdown of what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. Take my quiz here: CyberGuy.com.
Kurt’s key takeaways
Maryland’s law is imperfect, and advocates said so publicly. But an imperfect first law still moves the needle. It establishes that surveillance pricing in grocery stores is a problem worth legislating, gives other states a legal framework to improve on, and puts retailers on notice that the political appetite for regulation is growing. The bill’s weaknesses are actually useful in that way. They show exactly where the next round of advocacy needs to focus: stronger enforcement, consumer standing to sue, and tighter language around loyalty pricing exemptions. And if you live outside Maryland? Watch what your own state legislators do next. The grocery industry will lobby hard to add the same loopholes everywhere. Knowing what those loopholes look like is half the battle. Change tends to start in one place before it spreads. Maryland went first. Your state could be next.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
If a retailer already holds a 62-page profile on you and most of what’s in it is wrong, do you trust that the same technology is setting your prices fairly, and would you even know if it wasn’t? Let us know your thoughts by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
- Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox.
- For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit CyberGuy.com – trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily.
- Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join.
Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
In late 2025, Google started rolling out new icons with a gradient design. Now it seems the new look is coming to the rest of Google’s apps. 9to5Google got its hands on images of the new icons that ditch the uniform circle design that tries to cram in every color of the Google logo.
In general, the looks are softer. Corners are rounder, the gradients gently transition from almost pastel to the more saturated Google primary colors. We’ve already seen this new design language show in updated versions of the Google G logo, as well as Gemini, Photos, and Maps. According to 9to5, this represents the presence of AI-powered features.
The new icons are more playful, vibrant, and varied, reflecting recent design trends that have moved away from the flat looks of the late 2010s and early 2020s. Google Sheets, Slides, Forms, Sites, and Keep all ditch the portrait-oriented sheet of paper look. Many of them shift to landscape layout, which is much more appropriate — when is the last time you saw a vertical PowerPoint presentation?
Most of the icons feel like an improvement. They’re more visually distinct and often embrace a single color, like Chat, which trades the four-color speech bubble outline for a green blob with a smile inside it that feels reminiscent of Google Hangouts icon. The one exception is the Keep icon which, personal opinion, looks like hot trash.
It’s not clear when the new look icons will start rolling out, but it will probably be sooner than later.
-
Colorado6 minutes agoColorado landfill emission rules could force mountain counties to hike trash fees. Lawmakers are seeking a solution.
-
Connecticut12 minutes ago6 Little-Known Towns In Connecticut
-
Delaware18 minutes ago‘Great sign of things to come’: Major rooftop solar project launches in Delaware
-
Florida24 minutes agoSickness, cold killed nearly 30 sloths at a Florida import warehouse in 2024 and 2025
-
Georgia30 minutes agoThis Is The Friendliest Small Town in Georgia
-
Hawaii36 minutes agoLas Vegas community rallies for Hawaii storm victims
-
Idaho42 minutes agoIdaho regular gas averages $4.33 a gallon, eighth-highest in U.S., AAA says
-
Illinois48 minutes agoPHOTOS: Severe weather leaves behind damage across central Illinois