California Assembly's Vote on Autonomous Trucks Undermines Road Safety Experts
Safer Roads for All, a coalition dedicated to ensuring experts are in charge of road safety, expresses its profound concern regarding today’s passage of Assembly Bill 316 in the California Assembly. The bill not only undermines the expertise of road safety professionals but also disregards the benefits that autonomous trucks can bring to our transportation system, environment and economy.
Safer Roads for All firmly believes that responsible regulation, informed by road safety experts at the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), is crucial for the successful integration of autonomous trucks while ensuring the well-being of all road users. Instead, Assemblymembers voted to sideline road safety experts and implement a convoluted process that effectively prohibits autonomous trucks from ever being considered suitable for independent operation.
According to a new poll being released today for the first time, California voters agree with Safer Roads for All’s position:
88% of voters say that regulatory bodies like the California Highway Patrol and Department of Motor Vehicles are the most knowledgeable about the risk and benefits of autonomous commercial semi-trucks compared to just 12% who say elected lawmakers are the most knowledgeable.
With 67% of California voters concerned about businesses moving out of state and overall concerns about the economy, there is a recognition that autonomous commercial semi-trucks can be a boost to California’s economy. Fully 58% of registered voters agree/42% disagree that “in the future, autonomous commercial semi-trucks will positively impact the economy.”
A majority of California registered voters support the development of fully autonomous commercial semi-trucks for the following reasons:
53% say that “given enough time to test and develop, commercial autonomous semi-trucks will be safer than human drivers.
53% say “allowing autonomous commercial semi-trucks will help California meet ambitious climate goals by increasing fuel efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions."
68% say “there is already a shortage of nearly 80,000 truck drivers, and it is only predicted to get worse, doubling by 2030. This has already caused significant supply chain issues. Allowing autonomous commercial semi-trucks will help move more goods quickly and reliably.”
Fewer than 1 in 4 California voters would describe the roads as safe. Voters are most concerned about distracted driving (97% concerned), aggressive driving (96%), and impaired driving (94%).
Methodology: Survey of 1,001 registered voters in California conducted from May 18-25, 2023. Margin of error is +/- 3%.
If enacted, Assembly Bill 316 will make California an outlier among other states by prohibiting autonomous trucks from operating on their own unless approved by the legislature. Safer Roads for All urges the California Senate to reject this bill and let the road safety experts at CHP and DMV do their jobs. These experts are best suited to evaluate the advancement of autonomous truck technology and strike the right balance between innovation and safety.
