California Governor Vetoes Bill Requiring Human Drivers in Autonomous Trucks

pcmag.com:

California Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday vetoed a bill that would stop heavy-duty driverless trucks from operating in the state.

Assembly Bill 316 passed with a heavy majority in both houses of the state legislature. It requires a human driver to be present in any autonomous vehicle that weighs over 10,001 pounds. Newsom says the bill isn’t needed thanks to the “existing regulatory framework that presently and sufficiently governs this particular technology.”

California currently bars the operation of autonomous trucks weighing more than 10,001 pounds. Its Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is reportedly considering lifting that restriction, according to Reuters, which prompted the bill.

In a veto note, Newsom pointed to 2012 legislation that gave the state's DMV "the authority to regulate the testing and deployment of autonomous vehicles on public roads in California." It "continuously monitors the testing and operations of autonomous vehicles on California roads and has the authority to suspend or revoke permits as necessary to protect the public's safety."

As such, "the existing regulatory framework...presently and sufficiently governs this particular technology, [so] this bill is not needed at this time," Newsom says.

Several labor unions called on Newsom to sign the bill, claiming the use of autonomous trucks would be unsafe and potentially lead to job losses. Supporters of the bill, on the other hand, claim the bill will negatively impact the state’s chances of autonomously hauling goods, and ultimately cause future investments in autonomous infrastructure to go to states other than California.

Newsom says he's "open to working with the author, sponsors, and other stakeholders on the right approach to safely test