The California State Assembly has passed a bill to ban driverless trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds on state roads, with a significant majority voting for the presence of a safety driver. The bill has gained approval from various labor groups, including the Teamsters, who fear job losses due to the adoption of autonomous trucking technology. However, the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association (AVIA) criticized the bill as a measure that could hinder road safety improvements and the state's competitiveness in autonomous technologies. Autonomous trucking companies based in California, like Kodiak Robotics, Plus, Waymo, and TuSimple, currently use safety drivers in their operations.
Source: FreightWaves