California regulators have proposed allowing the testing of self-driving heavy-duty trucks on public roads, a significant shift from current regulations that only permit autonomous light-duty vehicles in the state.
10,001-Pound Weight Threshold
California’s current regulations explicitly prohibit the testing and deployment of autonomous vehicles weighing 10,001 pounds or more on public roads. This weight threshold has been a clear dividing line in the state’s approach to autonomous vehicle regulation, with vehicles under this limit already permitted for testing since 2019. The proposed regulations would remove this prohibition, creating a regulatory pathway for manufacturers to test and deploy autonomous commercial motor vehicles exceeding this weight limit.
The weight threshold is significant because it effectively separates passenger vehicles and light-duty delivery vehicles from heavy-duty commercial trucks. While light-duty autonomous vehicles have been operating under California’s regulatory framework for years, the 10,001-pound threshold has kept commercial semi-trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles from autonomous testing in the state, even as such testing has progressed in Texas, Arizona, and Arkansas. This has made California the only state with regulations that explicitly ban autonomous heavy-duty trucks based on weight.
Route Restrictions for Autonomous Trucks
The draft regulations outline specific limitations on where autonomous trucks would be permitted to operate in California. These vehicles would only be allowed on roads with posted speed limits of 50 miles per hour or greater and on frontage access roads, essentially restricting them to highways and less complex operational environments for long-haul deliveries along hub-to-hub routes. This approach aims to minimize risks by keeping autonomous trucks away from more challenging urban environments.
Additionally, the proposal includes significant operational restrictions. Certain commercial vehicle operations would be excluded from the regulatory framework, including household movers, passenger transport vehicles, oversize loads, hazardous materials transporters, and bulk liquid carriers requiring tank endorsements.These limitations reflect California’s cautious approach to balancing technological advancement with safety concerns as the state considers joining others like Texas, Arizona, and Arkansas where autonomous truck testing is already underway.
