US grants Aurora exemption for self-driving trucks safety feature

​The U.S. ​Transportation Department said ‌late Wednesday ​it approved a five-year exemption for Aurora ‌and other self-driving trucking companies from rules that require drivers to place ‌warning devices around a stopped truck. The ‌decision is a step forward in efforts to broadly deploy commercial self-driving trucks ⁠in ​the ⁠United States.

In 2023, Alphabet self-driving unit ⁠Waymo and Aurora jointly sought a waiver ​of U.S. rules requiring reflective triangles ⁠to be placed outside stopped trucks ⁠to ​help prevent crashes. USDOT said Wednesday it has agreed to allow ⁠autonomous trucking companies to use warning beacons ⁠mounted ⁠on the truck cab to avoid needing human drivers.