Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Supervisor Ray Mueller, District 3
Subject: Introduction of Ordinance Requiring Registration, Permit, and Fee for Commercial Use of Mobile, Autonomous Robots
RECOMMENDATION:
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Introduce an ordinance adding Chapter 5.140 to Title 5 of the San Mateo County Ordinance Code requiring registration, permit, and fee for commercial use of mobile, autonomous AI-Controlled robots, and waive the reading of the ordinance in its entirety.
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BACKGROUND:
Rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (“AI”) and robotics have accelerated the development and commercial availability of untethered, autonomous or semi-autonomous AI-controlled robots (“Mobile Autonomous Robots”) capable of performing tasks traditionally carried out by human workers or working alongside such workers. These systems are increasingly being designed for deployment across a broad range of industries, including restaurants, hospitality, retail, logistics, security, facilities maintenance, customer service, public information, and emergency response support. In January 2026, it was reported that Tesla would end Model S and Model X production at its factory in Fremont and focus on the production of humanoid robots. “According to Tesla, the Gen 3 Optimus is the company's first mass production design, and it is aiming to manufacture a million robots per year in Fremont, with production beginning by the end of 2026.” (https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/tesla-model-s-and-x-production-ending-humanoid-robots-fremont-factory/).
Although California law regulates autonomous vehicles and establishes workplace safety standards applicable to certain technologies, there is currently no comprehensive regulatory framework governing the commercial deployment and operation of Mobile Autonomous Robots in publicly accessible environments.
As businesses continue to evaluate and adopt these emergi...
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