California Paves Way for Heavy-Duty Autonomous Vehicle Testing

The California DMV is proposing a plan to allow testing of heavy-duty autonomous vehicles on public roads. Currently, only light-duty vehicles are authorized. The proposal includes specified routes for driverless testing, excluding city streets, aligning with testing already occurring in other states.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles announced a new proposal on Friday aimed at expanding the state's autonomous vehicle testing policy. The proposal seeks to allow the testing of heavy-duty autonomous trucks on public roads, a significant shift from the current regulation that permits only light-duty vehicles to be tested.

Under this proposal, testing of driverless heavy-duty commercial motor vehicles would be restricted to specified routes that comply with legal size, weight, and loading limits. Crucially, the operation of these large autonomous vehicles would be largely prohibited on city streets to enhance safety and minimize potential disruptions.

This initiative comes as manufacturers continue testing such vehicles in other states, including Texas, Arizona, and Arkansas. If implemented, California's policy will join a growing trend towards integrating autonomous technology within the logistics and transportation sectors.

(With inputs from agencies.)