Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association Archives

Autonomous trucking may descend the rabbit hole of local politics

12 April 2024

Autonomous trucking regulation is already a state-by-state issue. In California, it may soon embody the adage “All politics are local.” Advocates of driverless vehicles see passage of newly introduced legislation as a death knell for the technology.

After vetoing legislation last year that would have required a human driver in autonomous vehicles over 10,000 pounds, California Gov. Gavin Newsom may again have to choose between two of his main constituencies: Big Tech and organized labor.

2 bills...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/autonomous-trucking-may-descend-the-rabbit-hole-of-local-politics

The Whac-A-Mole reality of autonomous trucking regulations

2 February 2024

If you thought last year’s veto of a Teamsters-backed ban on heavy-duty autonomous trucking in California put the issue to rest, think again. While 23 states allow at least testing of driverless trucking, emerging challenges resemble the arcade game Whac-A-Mole.

Early-stage commercialized driverless trucking on Interstate 45 in Texas looks likely later this year. The state embraced the technology in 2017. Yet a move to stop driver-out operations percolated in the Texas Legislature last year.

“That...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/the-whac-a-mole-reality-of-autonomous-trucking-regulations

Governor vetoes autonomous trucking ban in California

23 September 2023

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed Teamsters-backed legislation to effectively ban heavy-duty driverless trucks in the state.

“Assembly Bill 316 is unnecessary for the regulation and oversight of heavy-duty autonomous vehicle technology in California. Existing law provides sufficient authority to create the appropriate regulatory framework,” Newsom wrote to the California Assembly on Friday, saying he would not sign the bill.

The veto maintains the status quo. Autonomous trucks over 10,001...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/governor-vetoes-autonomous-trucking-ban-in-california

Truck driver jobs at center of House hearing on automation

13 September 2023

WASHINGTON — Losing jobs to technology is a big concern across many industries, and the issue was in the spotlight on Capitol Hill on Wednesday at a hearing on the future of autonomous trucking.

Speaking on behalf of the industry’s largest companies, the American Trucking Associations’ Chris Spear attempted to quell those fears by asserting that automation is needed to bring more drivers into the industry — not push them out.

“If we didn’t have a shortage [of drivers], we would be having a...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/truck-driver-jobs-at-center-of-house-hearing-on-automation

California Senate votes to ban driverless trucks

12 September 2023

The California Senate joined the state Assembly in overwhelmingly voting to ban heavy-duty driverless trucks on state highways. Whether to sign or veto the bill is now up to Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The government through Newsom’s business office has been critical of Assembly Bill 316, but he has not said what he will do. The former San Francisco mayor is a big technology backer but also courts labor unions, which are the loudest voices behind the legislation.

Essentially, the bill, which passed Monday...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/california-senate-votes-to-ban-driverless-trucks

Buying and selling in autonomous trucking developer Aurora Innovation

28 July 2023

In a week that saw the field of viable autonomous trucking developers shrink again — more on Waymo Via waving buh-bye for now below — Aurora Innovation (NASDAQ: AUR) disclosed that T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. purchased $125 million of new stock issued in a $600 million private placement.

Uber Technologies, already a major holder of Aurora shares, added $1 million to its stake in the private placement and 24.66 million shares at $3 each — worth about $74 million — in Aurora’s $220...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/buying-and-selling-in-autonomous-trucking-developer-aurora-innovation

Waymo tops NHTSA’s list for autonomous vehicle crashes

15 June 2022

Self-driving ride-hailing and autonomous trucking startup Waymo reported the most automated driving system (ADS) crashes over roughly the past year, according to a government report released on Wednesday aimed at creating more transparency into autonomous vehicle safety trends.

The “first-of-its-kind” data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed 130 crashes in vehicles equipped with ADS technology reported by manufacturers and operators between June 29, 2021, when NHTSA...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/waymo-tops-nhtsas-list-of-autonomous-vehicle-crashes

Truck crash deaths jump 13% to ‘crisis’ level

18 May 2022

Deaths in crashes involving trucks hit a “crisis” level and reversed a downward trend in place before the pandemic, according to federal regulators.

Based on preliminary data released Tuesday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, total estimated fatalities in crashes involving at least one large truck (gross vehicle weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds) increased by 13% from 2020 to 2021, from 4,965 to 5,601. That compares with a roughly 1% decline between 2019 and 2021...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/truck-crash-fatalities-jump-13-to-crisis-level