California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed Assembly Bill 316, which aimed to prevent heavy-duty driverless trucks from operating in the state. The bill had passed in both houses of the state legislature but was deemed unnecessary by Newsom, who cited existing regulatory frameworks governing autonomous technology. Currently, California prohibits the use of autonomous trucks weighing over 10,001 pounds, although the Department of Motor Vehicles has been working towards lifting this restriction.
Companies developing autonomous technology for trucking, such as Aurora, Daimler Truck, Kodiak Robotics, and Gatik, have expressed relief at the veto. On the other hand, labor unions have argued that autonomous trucks could lead to job losses and have called for the bill’s approval. In response, Newsom directed the labor and workforce development agency to develop recommendations to address potential job impacts.