Late this week, it was announced that California authorities have allowed light-duty trucks to be tested on public roads. The State Department of Transportation has prepared documents that outline the licensing process for companies planning to test driverless trucks. Vehicles whose weight does not exceed 4,5 tons will be allowed for testing, including pickups, vans, station wagons, etc. Heavier vehicles such as large trucks, semi-trailers, buses will not be able to take part in the tests.
It is worth noting that California has long been one of the centers for testing autonomous vehicles. The emergence of new opportunities that make it possible to organize tests of trucks with autonomous driving systems will certainly not go unnoticed by Waymo, Uber, General Motors and other large companies working in this direction. According to official data, licenses have now been granted to 62 companies, which can test 678 autonomous vehicles.
It is possible that in the future Californian authorities will consider introducing permission to test large trucks. The new rules are likely aimed at attracting companies developing small, self-driving trucks to the region. Ford, Nuro, Udelv are working in this direction. These companies already have permission to conduct testing activities using autonomous passenger vehicles, so they will certainly be interested in expanding their capabilities.
Source: 3dnews.ru