Dive Brief:
- The California Senate last week approved another attempt to require drivers aboard large autonomous vehicles in a ban that could last for the rest of this decade, advancing the bill to the governor’s desk for another showdown over AV regulations.
- The proposed legislation would require AV companies to provide more info on when a safety driver takes over from autonomous driving and require the California Legislature and governor to sign off on any shift to driverless operations.
- California’s Department of Motor Vehicles has yet to approve of testing and deployment for large autonomous vehicles on public roads, but the DMV unveiled draft regulations Friday to allow permitting of many kinds of commercial vehicles, signaling a possible change. The public can comment on the proposal through Oct. 14.
Dive Insight:
Last September, Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed state legislators’ push for more regulatory oversight of AV trucks. Newsom spokesperson Daniel Villaseñor said in an email to Trucking Dive that “the Governor will evaluate this bill on its merits.”
The holdout affects a state where multiple tech companies are headquartered and looking to pioneer self-driving capabilities for heavy-duty vehicles at scale. The Golden State’s economic importance, along with its key ports and favorable climate, mean potential delays could bring significant setbacks, especially as other states already allow testing and deployment.
The Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association, a lobbying group, blasted the legislative do-over.
“Last year, Governor Newsom wisely vetoed the same legislation and called it ‘unnecessary,’” the group said in a statement. According to AVIA, nothing has changed since that previous attempt, and the group expressed a desire for state regulators to keep their place instead of handing more power and procedure over to legislators.
The Teamsters said in a statement that the bill would preserve hundreds of thousands of union jobs and keep roads safe.
