California Opens Highways to Testing Autonomous Trucks Amid Controversy

The California Department of Motor Vehicles has granted permits to Aurora Innovation and Kodiak AI, allowing them to test their autonomous trucks on public roads. Kodiak has already commenced tests around its Mountain View base.

This development follows new regulations approved on April 28, which lifted the prior ban on driverless vehicles exceeding 10,000 pounds. These rules now offer a structured pathway for the testing and eventual deployment of autonomous heavy-duty vehicles in California.

Both companies satisfied the DMV's criteria, which include safety measures and vehicle registration, though the permits require a human driver to be present. Restrictions remain in place, barring operations on roads with speed limits of 25 mph or less, except on direct routes.

However, the introduction of self-driving trucks has sparked legal pushback. The Teamsters California filed a lawsuit against the DMV, claiming the agency bypassed necessary studies regarding the economic and safety impacts of these vehicles on public roads. The case is currently in the Superior Court in Alameda County.

Source: techcrunch.com