Gov. Newsom called the new law unnecessary, citing existing efforts by state regulators to develop new rules around autonomous trucking.
After California state legislators passed a law banning self-driving trucks until the early 2030s, Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed the law, paving the way for autonomous trucks in spite of concerns raised by the Teamsters union, which represents truck drivers, and road safety advocates. “Labor advocates argued the California ban on driverless trucks was needed to protect state residents from tech that’s not ready for prime time.”
According to an article in Wired by Aarian Marshall, “In a letter released yesterday, Newsom wrote that the law is ‘unnecessary,’ because California already has two agencies, the Department of Motor Vehicles and the state Highway Patrol, overseeing and creating regulations for the new technology.” Autonomous trucks were not yet approved for testing on California roads as these regulators work to develop new sets of rules.
Elsewhere in the United States, such as Texas, “None of the companies testing autonomous trucks in the US have removed safety drivers, who are trained to take over when the vehicle goes wrong, from behind the wheels of their big rigs.”
More on autonomous vehicles in California:
FULL STORY: California’s Governor Gavin Newsom Vetoes State Ban on Driverless Trucks
California lifts ban on heavy-duty autonomous vehicles
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