California regulators have released a new proposal to allow companies to test self-driving heavy duty trucks on public roads.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles announced proposed regulations last week that would allow autonomous vehicles over 10,000 pounds to be tested, including semi-trucks.
Regulators say self-driving heavy duty trucks are already being tested in other states including Texas and Arizona.
California is the only state with regulations that explicitly ban them.
The DMV’s new proposed regulations for autonomous commercial trucks are subject to a public comment period that ends in June.
Pushback is likely from labor unions representing hundreds of thousands of truck drivers across the state.
The DMV’s update is welcome news for the autonomous vehicle industry, from industry giants like Google-owned Waymo to trucking-focused tech companies like Aurora Innovation and Kodiak Robotics.
The proposed regulations will also enhance data-reporting requirements for manufacturers, such as reporting instances when cars stop in the middle of an active road.
Where California regulations stand
Twenty-five states, representing more than half the U.S. population, already have autonomous vehicle regulations on the books.
While California has allowed the testing of light duty autonomous vehicles since 2019, until now, the state has not allowed autonomous cars above 10,000 pounds on the roads. That said, it has welcomed fleets of smaller vehicles like Waymo robo-taxis, which weigh about half that much.
The state’s driverless vehicle regulations use a multi-phase permitting process for testing and operating autonomous vehicles:
- First, manufacturers must get a permit for testing with a safety driver.
- Next, a driverless testing permit.
- Then, a deployment permit, to send its trucks onto the freeway.
According to the state’s motor vehicle department, there are more than 30 manufacturers testing light duty autonomous vehicles with drivers, six companies testing without a driver and three already authorized to operate.
Soon, heavier autonomous trucks will have access to that same three-step permitting process and, eventually, busy L.A. County freeways.
Global management consulting firm McKinsey projects autonomous heavy-duty trucks will account for 13% of all trucks on U.S. roads in 2035.
Union pushback in motion
The Teamsters Union is currently preparing formal comments on the DMV’s autonomous vehicle rulemaking.
In the meantime, union officials are calling on California to pass a law requiring a trained human operator inside any autonomous vehicle used to deliver commercial goods to residences or businesses.
The California Assembly bill passed out of the transportation committee last week.
“Californians are sick and tired of Big Tech’s complete disregard for the impact of AI on safety, jobs, and our communities,” said Teamsters official Peter Finn, in a statement supporting AB33.
In 2023, California lawmakers passed a Teamsters-supported bill requiring human drivers aboard all self-driving trucks, but Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed it.
Safety concerns
For trucking companies, autonomous vehicles offer potential cost savings and safety benefits, according to independent research scientist Noah Goodall. "If you can get the safety improved by any amount, that's huge,” said Goodall, speaking to LAist’s AirTalk. “Truck crashes are very severe.”
Jeff Farrah, CEO of the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association, argues that autonomous vehicles are inherently safer than human-driven ones.
"They have a 360 degree view of the world around them,” he said. “They never drive impaired. They never drive distracted. They never drive tired."
Listen to the AirTalk conversation
California to give robo-trucks the greenlight, new crash reporting standards, and more
Guests: CNBC reporter Lora Kolodny, senior policy analyst of transportation and safety at Consumer Reports Cooper Lohr and independent transportation researcher Noah Goodall.
But driverless vehicles have had their own safety issues.
The California DMV suspended driverless car company Cruise's permit in 2023 after one of their self-driving cars struck and injured a pedestrian in San Francisco.
For some, heavier and faster-moving driverless trucks on California roads causes more concern.
Research has shown that vehicles with higher front ends, like heavy-duty pickup trucks, are more likely to cause fatalities in collisions with pedestrians. Plus, heavier vehicles like commercial trucks take more time to come to full stop, whether automated or not.
Farrah’s association describes a “driver shortage” in the long-haul trucking industry, a characterization debated by economists.
“Collectively, we need to figure out how to move more freight with less people to do it,” said Farrah. “And we believe that autonomous trucks are part of the suite of solutions.”
How you can weigh in
The 45-day public comment period for these regulations began on April 25, 2025 and runs through June 9, 2025.
Written comments may be submitted to LADRegulations@dmv.ca.gov during the 45-day period. After the comment period, the DMV will host a public hearing to gather additional public input.
Location: California Public Utility Commission’s Auditorium
Address: 505 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco
Date: June 10
Time: 9 a.m.
Proposed regulations are available on the DMV's website.
