California Lawmakers Seek to Ban Fully Autonomous Trucking

The California Labor Federation, Teamsters locals, and several legislators are pushing for legislation that would require a trained safety driver to be present in the cab of any autonomous heavy-duty truck on public roads. This action is in response to the California Department of Motor Vehicles considering whether to revoke a ban on such vehicles. The labor organizers and legislators cite safety as a major concern, as well as the potential loss of jobs for truck drivers. Companies are already testing autonomous driving in other states, primarily in the Southwest, and the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association has urged the California DMV to begin rulemaking for autonomous trucking in order to prepare the workforce for the shift.

The California Labor Federation, Teamsters locals, and several legislators are pushing for legislation that would require a trained safety driver to be present in the cab of any autonomous heavy-duty truck on public roads in order to protect the safety of the public and to prevent job losses for truck drivers. This action comes as the California Department of Motor Vehicles is considering whether to revoke a ban on such vehicles, and companies are already testing autonomous driving in other states.

The main concern of labor organizers and legislators is the safety of the public and the potential loss of jobs for truck drivers. Joe Garner, a Teamsters Local 315 member, expressed his concern about losing his job to a machine, noting that it is “life support for my family.” Assembly member Cecilia Aguiar-Curry further emphasized the potential job losses, noting that the “supply chain crisis of the past three years should teach us not to ignore emerging needs in this very complex international goods system.”

The Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association has urged the California DMV to begin rulemaking for autonomous trucking in order to prepare the workforce for the shift. Jeff Farrah, the Association’s executive director, noted that it will take time for autonomous trucks to reach their full potential in the state, and that deployment will take place gradually over the years to fill in current and future labor shortages.

The pushback against fully robotic trucks traveling on public roads is a response to the potential safety risks and job losses that could arise from autonomous trucking becoming the first significant commercialization of self-driving technology in the United States. Labor organizers, legislators, and the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association are all advocating for the California Department of Motor Vehicles to begin rulemaking for autonomous trucking in order to ensure the safety of the public and to prepare the workforce for the shift. The proposed legislation requiring a trained safety driver to be present in the cab of any autonomous heavy-duty truck on public roads is a step in the right direction to protect the safety of the public and to prevent job losses for truck drivers.

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