California Eyes Self-Driving Trucks on Highways

California is on the verge of opening its highways to self-driving trucks following revised regulations proposed by the Department of Motor Vehicles. These changes, open for public comment until December 18, aim to lift the current ban on driverless vehicles weighing over 10,000 pounds, a significant hurdle for autonomous freight technology.

Companies developing autonomous trucking solutions, many based in California, have expressed enthusiasm for the proposed rules. They see this as a crucial step towards enabling coast-to-coast autonomous freight operations. The regulations introduce a phased permitting process, requiring extensive testing, including a minimum of 500,000 autonomous test miles, before driverless deployment is allowed.

Despite industry optimism, the Teamsters Union has reiterated its strong opposition, vowing to fight the revisions. They advocate for legislation requiring a human safety operator in all heavy-duty autonomous trucks. The DMV's proposal also includes updates for light-duty autonomous vehicles, such as expanded data reporting and improved first responder interaction plans.