California governor vetoes bill requiring driver in robotic trucks

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California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill to make it mandatory for autonomous trucks to be accompanied by a human operator on the state's roads.

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According to Newsom, autonomous trucking technology does not need to be regulated. Existing state law provides enough authority to create an appropriate regulatory framework, he said.

Newsom said the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will draft regulations for light and heavy trucks in the coming months, taking into account input from the public, industry and other stakeholders.

Supporters of the bill condemned the governor's veto. Sean O'Brien, general president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, said Newsom "lacks the courage" to come face-to-face with working people.

"He’d rather give our jobs away in the dead of night"he said.

O'Brien claimed the bill was supported by 95 per cent of the state legislature and 75 per cent of the public.

Source: The Register