California Governor Gavin Newsom over the weekend vetoed Assembly Bill 2286, a bill that would effectively ban autonomous trucks in the state. The CARS (California Automotive Regulatory Standards) Package was composed of Assembly Bill 2286, which would have required human operators in any vehicle over 10,000 pounds, and Assembly Bill 3061, which would have increased accident reporting and transparency requirements for companies operating autonomous vehicles (AVs).
Almost exactly a year ago, Newsom vetoed a similar bill (Assembly Bill 316).
“Recognizing that our workforce is the foundation of our economic success, California leads the nation with some of the strongest worker protection laws," said in his message regarding the veto. "Our state also is renowned globally as a leader in technological innovation. We reject that one aim must yield to the other, and our success disproves this false binary. But advancing both priorities requires creativity, collaboration, and a willingness to work together to identify pragmatic solutions. Toward that end, my office offered multiple rounds of suggested amendments, which were unfortunately not accepted.”
A range of California safety advocates, business organizations, logistics providers and businesses of all sizes had urged Newsom to veto AB 2286, arguing the the legislation would have thwarted California’s robust regulatory process, as the state DMV recently released new draft regulations for autonomous truck safety and other vehicles; imposed a permanent ban on AV trucks in California; locked in the unacceptable status quo for safety. NHTSA estimates that nearly 43,000 traffic deaths occurred in 2022; diverted resources from agencies with expertise to regulate autonomous trucks, with financial analysis estimating the bill would have cost millions of dollars to implement; caused California to fall even further behind other states on autonomous trucking innovation, as states across the country are embracing AV trucks as a way to ease supply chain challenges and promote safer roads; and jeopardized the creation of new, high-quality jobs and other economic and supply chain benefits.
“We applaud Governor Newsom for vetoing AB 2286, thereby allowing California’s safety experts to continue evaluating autonomous vehicle technology through the appropriate regulatory channels," said Jeff Farrah, CEO of the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association. "The AV industry will continue to work with the California DMV and California Highway Patrol on draft regulations to safely regulate autonomous trucks and ensure the state sees the supply chain, safety, and economic benefits of the technology.”
