California moves ahead with self-driving trucks despite labor opposition

Self-driving trucks are one step closer to rolling along California roadways, much to the consternation of labor unions that oppose them.

California's Department of Motor Vehicles issued draft regulations Aug. 30 that would permit and govern the operation of heavy-duty autonomous trucks on public roads.

Industry executives had awaited the proposed regulations for a decade, and their arrival marks "an important step toward bringing this life-saving technology to market in California," said Kodiak Robotics CEO and co-founder Don Burnette. Allowing autonomous trucks ensures the state's "freight economy can remain competitive," he said.

State officials released the proposed rules one day after the California State Assembly passed bipartisan, Teamsters-backed legislation that would require a human operator behind the wheel of self-driving trucks.

That legislation, Assembly Bill 2286, now sits on Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk. He vetoed similar legislation last year, despite the Teamsters' support for the bill. Experts believe he will again either veto this year's bill or leave it unsigned. A spokesperson from the governor's office did not return a request for comment.

When he vetoed last year's anti-autonomous truck bill, Newsom cited the promulgation of regulations as one reason why he felt the legislation was unnecessary.

He further wrote in a Sept. 22, 2023, letter to state legislators that he was committed to finding the "right approach to safely test and deploy this evolving technology in California, while also addressing and mitigating any potential impacts to jobs."

Newsom’s support, combined with the pending regulations, open a path for self-driving technology companies to soon connect goods flowing into California’s ports with the rest of the country. 

Proposed DMV rules mark a shift. Currently, California's regulations prohibit the testing or deployment of AVs weighing more than 10,000 pounds. That has made for an awkward dynamic in which California-based companies like Kodiak Robotics, Aurora Innovation and Gatik have developed self-driving technology in the state, but tested and planned commercial operations elsewhere.

"There is an opportunity for California to regain its national edge on this," said Mufaddal Ezzy, senior director of state and local government relations at Aurora. "What's exciting to me about California is there's a very robust conversation about the future of autonomous vehicles in the state."

The DMV is seeking input on the proposed regulations through Oct. 14 from manufacturers, AV experts, first responders, consumers and labor unions.

The latter has already made its position known.

"The regulations are an insult to California workers who already fear losing their jobs to automation," Teamsters general president Sean M. O'Brien wrote.

Such concerns come as robotaxis have flourished on the state's roads over the past year — and also encountered problems.

Self-driving tech company Waymo has deployed more than 300 AVs in and around San Francisco, and already won permission from the state's Public Utilities Commission to expand service throughout the Bay Area and across metro Los Angeles.

But another robotaxi competitor, General Motors-backed Cruise, has sparked concerns. It had its driverless permits revoked by the Department of Motor Vehicles last October following a crash in San Francisco that left a pedestrian with "multiple traumatic injuries," according to first responders.

That crash has sharpened opposition to driverless trucks.

"Autonomous vehicles have brought chaos to California roads, yet Governor Newsom is welcoming 80,000-pound driverless trucks with open arms," O'Brien said. "These dangerous actions threaten good jobs and public safety."

But elsewhere, autonomous trucks have been embraced. Texas has become a hotbed of activity, with Aurora, Kodiak Robotics and Gatik all expecting to begin driverless commercial service there by the end of this year.

Interstate 10 is expected to be another focus for autonomous-tech operators, both within Texas and beyond. It traverses the lower third of the country, running from Los Angeles to Jacksonville, Fla.