Science & Tech · AI · 1 day ago
US grants self-driving truck companies a five-year safety exemption
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has granted Aurora Innovation, Kodiak AI and other self-driving truck developers a five-year exemption.
Under the usual rule, a truck driver who stops because of trouble must turn on hazard lights and place reflective warning triangles on the road within 10 minutes.
A driverless truck has no person to set out the triangles, creating a practical obstacle to operating without a human driver.
The exemption allows companies to use warning beacons mounted on the truck’s cab instead.
Aurora had challenged the requirement in court after its request for an exemption was denied, and the company had a temporary waiver while awaiting a decision.
The change removes one barrier to commercializing self-driving trucks on US roads.
The exemption lasts five years; the available information does not say what rules will apply after that.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration granted self-driving truck companies a five-year exemption from rules requiring drivers to place roadside warning devices.
The exemption allows companies to use cab-mounted warning beacons instead of reflective warning triangles.
Aurora Innovation and Kodiak AI received the exemption, which TechCrunch said removes a major barrier to commercializing self-driving trucks.
The requirement had been a hurdle because a self-driving truck has no human driver to deploy the devices after a breakdown.
Aurora had challenged the requirement in court before the agency granted the exemption.
- Who
- Aurora Innovation, Kodiak AI and other self-driving truck developers received the exemption.
- What
- The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration allows companies to replace roadside warning devices with cab-mounted warning beacons for five years.
- When
- This week, according to TechCrunch.
- Where
- On U.S. roads.
- Why
- Self-driving trucks have no human driver to place warning devices after a mechanical problem forces a truck to stop.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Aurora took federal safety regulators to court over the warning-device requirement.
The company escalated its challenge to the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration granted a five-year exemption allowing warning beacons in place of roadside warning devices.
- Exemption period
- Five years
- Agency
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
- Companies named
- Aurora Innovation and Kodiak AI
- Replacement device
- Cab-mounted warning beacons
- Existing requirement
- Warning triangles must be placed within 10 minutes of a truck stopping
What people are saying
usher in an autonomous era of freight movement on U.S. roads, one that can save lives and improve the efficiency of goods delivery.
critical, 21st-century solution that enhances roadside safety by immediately alerting other road users without ever needing to put a person in harm’s way.
Sources
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