California lawmakers voted Wednesday to pass a bill that would ban autonomous trucks from operating without a driver, requiring a safety driver to always be present.
The bill will now head to Gov. Gavin Newsom for his signature.
The Teamsters and other labor groups support the measure. They claim driverless trucks would eliminate thousands of good-paying jobs for human drivers.
“Statewide support for AB 316 is essential as California considers the increased use of autonomous vehicles on our roads,” said Randy Cammack, president of Teamsters Joint Council 42, said in a statement in March. “Representing thousands of truck drivers across the state, the Teamsters will continue to fight for our members’ good jobs and safety on the roads, as well as the safety of all California drivers. The public should not be treated as a lab rat for big corporations to test their technology. Californians deserve a safety-first approach, and this bill would do just that.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom announces trucks may carry slightly heavier loads to ease the supply chain congestion at the Los Angeles and Long Beach, Calif. ports, on Nov. 17, 2021. Courtesy of the City of Long Beach
California has many local developers of autonomous technologies, yet it isn’t one of the 22 states that allow the testing of driverless vehicles on the road weighing over 10,000 pounds.
“AB 316 is a preemptive technology ban that will put California even further behind other states and lock in the devastating safety status quo on California’s roads, which saw more than 4,400 people die last year,” the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association (AVIA) said in a statement after the vote.
“AB 316 undermines California’s law enforcement and safety officials as they seek to regulate and conduct oversight over life-saving autonomous trucks,” Jeff Farrah, AVIA executive director, said in the statement. “We encourage Gov. Newsom and the State Senate to reject AB 316 so Californians will benefit from autonomous trucks’ safety and supply chain benefits.”
The bipartisan bill, first introduced in January, was authored by California Assembly Members Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D), Laura Friedman (D), Tom Lackey (R), and Ash Kalra (D) and is supported by many assembly members.
“I am thrilled that over 60 of my Assembly colleagues supported AB 316 on the floor today. This joint effort with the Teamsters and Labor Federation will slow the profit-motivated drive to human-less trucking by putting the Legislature between venture capital, well-paid jobs, and public safety,” Aguiar-Curry said in a statement. “We will continue to fight to protect our expert trucking workforce. We will continue to fight to protect the traveling public. The road ahead will not be easy, and we'll need every working Californian to join the fight to have this bill become law this year.”
The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is considering the framework that could allow autonomous vehicles over 10,000 pounds to hit the road without consent from the California Legislature.
“Ultimately, this issue is of such importance and relevance that we can’t abdicate our responsibility to the DMV, and the DMV doesn’t have the capacity to think about the consequences going forward,” Kalra told the LA Times.
Commercial truck driver Fernando Reyes says truck drivers are trained to operate driving semi-trucks and don’t trust that technology would add to the value of truck drivers’ daily jobs.
“California highways are unpredictable, but as a Teamster truck driver of 13 years, I’m trained to expect the unexpected. I know how to look out for people texting while driving, potholes in the middle of the road, and folks on the side of the highway with a flat tire. We can’t trust new technology to pick up on those things,” Reyes said in a statement. “My truck weighs well over 10,000 pounds. The thought of it barreling down the highway with no driver behind the wheel is terrifying and unsafe. AB 316 is the only way forward for California.”
The AVIA dismisses the fears of trucks being operated by technology and claims it is safer than a human driver.
Elizabeth Dowell
Author
Elizabeth is a SoCal based reporter covering issues in Los Angeles and throughout the state for The Epoch Times. She is passionate about creating truthful and accurate stories for readers to connect with. When she’s not reporting, she enjoys writing poetry, playing basketball, embarking on new adventures and spending quality time with her family and friends.
