California regulators on Wednesday released revised draft rules that would allow companies to test and eventually deploy self-driving trucks on public highways, potentially opening the nation’s largest economy to autonomous freight operations for the first time.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), which oversees autonomous vehicle regulation in the state, said the proposal is now subject to a 15-day public comment period ending Dec. 18. Current rules prohibit the testing of any driverless vehicles weighing more than 10,000 pounds on public roads, effectively blocking autonomous trucking despite the widespread rollout of robotaxi services in parts of San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Companies developing autonomous trucking technology welcomed the move, saying it could enable long-delayed operations in California. “These proposed regulations are a critical step towards bringing autonomous trucks to California freeways in 2026, a milestone that will enhance road safety and grow the economy,” said Daniel Goff, vice president of external affairs at Kodiak AI.
Under the proposed framework, autonomous truck developers would follow a phased permitting process similar to that used for light-duty robotaxis, beginning with testing that requires a human safety driver behind the wheel. Separate permits would be required for driverless testing and full commercial deployment.
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The revised rules would also impose strict mileage thresholds before companies can remove human operators. Autonomous truck developers would be required to complete at least 500,000 self-driving test miles before applying for a driverless permit, including a minimum of 100,000 miles within their intended California operating domain.
Labor groups, however, signaled firm opposition. “Our position remains the same, we are opposed to the deployment and testing of this technology on our roads,” said Shane Gusman, legislative director of Teamsters California, adding that the union will continue lobbying for legislation that would mandate human drivers in any heavy-duty autonomous truck.
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Beyond trucking, the proposed regulations would also expand data-reporting requirements for autonomous vehicle companies and require more frequent updates on how driverless vehicles interact with first responders. The revisions also include language that would allow law enforcement to issue traffic citations directly to autonomous vehicles.
California is home to many autonomous vehicle developers, including companies such as Aurora Innovation and Kodiak AI, many of which currently conduct highway testing in other states such as Texas due to regulatory restrictions at home.