The California Department of Motor Vehicles on Friday issued draft regulations on the operation of autonomous vehicles on highways.
He California The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) on Friday issued draft regulations on the operation of autonomous vehicles on highways, paving the way for self-driving trucks to begin making long-haul deliveries. The state agency is planning a framework that would initially require safety drivers for both light- and heavy-duty operations. The DMV is accepting written comments on the draft language through Oct. 14.
Why is it important?
The draft regulation comes at a time when autonomous driving The technology is facing increased levels of scrutiny from safety regulators due to multiple cases of crashes and accidents involving the technology.
If passed, the regulations could be a big win for autonomous trucking startups betting on the technology to grow and advance — and would also threaten trucking jobs.
Context
Self-driving cars from companies including Alphabet’s Waymo and General Motors’ Cruise have clashed with regulators over incidents involving their autonomous vehicles.
A Waymo car struck a cyclist at a city intersection earlier this year, while a Cruise vehicle was involved in a serious accident last year in San Francisco that prompted the company to pull nearly 1,000 cars from the road.
Autonomous trucks They have had some success with deploying large trucks along pre-planned routes to deliver goods. Companies like Waabi operate autonomous trucks with safety drivers on planned commercial routes, transporting cargo for Uber between Dallas and Houston in Texas.
The answer
Reactions to the draft regulations have been mixed. The truckers’ union condemned the rules, saying they threaten jobs and public safety.
“The regulations are an insult to California workers who already fear losing their jobs to automation,” said Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien.
The Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association welcomed the draft order, saying it is “an important step toward the future of road safety and supply chain resilience in California.”
The draft comes a day after the California Assembly passed two bills on autonomous vehicle safety. The bills require driverless trucks to have human operators and force autonomous vehicle manufacturers to report any vehicle collisions or traffic violations, among other things. California Gov. Gavin Newsom will have to sign the bills for them to become law.
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