The California Department of Transportation on Friday released a draft regulation on the operation of autonomous vehicles on highways, paving the way for self-driving trucks in long-distance transport.
The state authority is planning a framework that will initially require safety drivers for light and heavy vehicles.
The DMV will accept written feedback on the draft until October 14.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
The draft regulations come at a time when autonomous driving technology is coming under increased scrutiny by safety authorities due to numerous accidents and crashes involving this technology.
If passed, the regulations could be a big win for autonomous driving startups banking on the growth and advancement of this technology, and they would also put jobs in the trucking industry at risk.
CONTEXT
Self-driving cars from companies like Alphabet GOOG Waymo (link) und General Motors’ Cruise (link) 
GM has clashed with regulators over incidents involving its autonomous vehicles.
A Waymo vehicle struck a cyclist at a city intersection earlier this year, while a Cruise vehicle was involved in a serious accident in San Francisco last year that led to the company removing nearly a thousand cars (link) from the streets.
Autonomous trucks have already had some success with the use of large trucks on pre-planned routes to deliver goods. Companies like Waabi (link) operate autonomous trucks with safety drivers on planned trade routes and transport cargo for Uber 
UBER between Dallas and Houston, Texas.
THE REACTION
Reactions to the draft regulations were mixed. The Teamsters union condemned the regulations because they endanger jobs and public safety.
“The rules are an insult to California workers who already fear losing their jobs to automation,” said Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien.
The Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association, on the other hand, welcomed the draft regulation, calling it “an important step for future road safety and supply chain resilience in California.”
The bill was introduced a day after the California Assembly passed two autonomous vehicle safety bills. The bills would require human operators in driverless trucks and require autonomous vehicle manufacturers to report vehicle collisions, traffic violations and more.
California Governor Gavin Newsom must still sign the bills for them to go into effect.
