Autonomous trucking company sues over 1970s safety rules

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^{Published in Automotive and Transportation on Friday, January 10th 2025 at 16:01 GMT by Axios}

On Dec. 26, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the DOT agency that oversees trucking safety, rejected the request. In its decision, FMCSA said the companies hadn't showed that a national, industry-wide exemption for AV trucks would provide an equivalent level of safety in such situations.

The article from Axios discusses a lawsuit filed by Aurora, a self-driving truck company, against the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). Aurora is challenging a new regulation that requires all commercial vehicles, including those that are fully autonomous, to have human drivers. This regulation, set to take effect in June 2025, could significantly impact the development and deployment of driverless trucks. Aurora argues that this rule is not only outdated but also contradicts the DOT's own initiatives to promote autonomous vehicle technology for safety and efficiency improvements. The lawsuit claims that the regulation would hinder innovation, increase costs, and potentially delay the benefits of autonomous trucks, such as reducing accidents caused by human error, improving fuel efficiency, and addressing driver shortages. The contention is that the DOT's rule does not account for the advancements in technology and could set back the industry's progress.

Read the Full Axios Article at:
[ https://www.axios.com/2025/01/10/aurora-lawsuit-dot-driverless-trucks ]