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The California Department of Motor Vehicles on Friday released draft regulations for the operation of autonomous vehicles on highways, paving the way for self-driving trucks to begin long-distance hauls.
The state agency is planning a framework that would initially require both light and heavy vehicles to have safety drivers.
The DMV will accept written feedback on the draft wording until October 14.
Why it matters
Self-driving technology is facing intense scrutiny from safety regulators following a number of crashes and accidents involving the technology.
If approved, the regulations could be a huge win for self-driving truck startups as they bet the technology can grow and advance, but they could also threaten truck driver jobs.
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Self-driving cars from companies such as Alphabet’s Waymo and General Motors’ Cruise have run afoul of regulators over accidents involving self-driving cars.
Earlier this year, a Waymo car struck a cyclist at a city intersection, while a Cruise car was involved in a serious accident in San Francisco last year, leading the company to remove nearly a thousand vehicles from the road.
Self-driving trucks have had some success deploying large trucks on pre-planned routes to deliver freight. Companies like Waabi are driving self-driving trucks with safety drivers on planned commercial lanes, delivering freight for Uber between Dallas and Houston, Texas.
Response
Reaction to the draft regulations was mixed, with the Teamsters union condemning the rules, saying they threaten jobs and public safety.
“These rules are an insult to California workers who are already worried about losing their jobs to automation,” said Teamsters President Sean O’Brien.
On the other hand, the Automated Vehicle Industry Association welcomed the draft order, calling it “an important step for future road safety and supply chain resiliency in California.”
The draft bill was released a day after the California State Assembly passed two autonomous vehicle safety bills that would require human operators to be present in driverless trucks and require self-driving car manufacturers to report any vehicle collisions, traffic violations and more.
California Governor Gavin Newsom must sign the bills to become law.
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