California lawmakers again eye driverless truck ban

Trucking news and briefs for Monday, July 8, 2024:

California authorities requiring usability successful autonomous trucks again breezing done legislature

Lawmakers successful California are erstwhile again moving up pinch authorities that would restrict nan usage of existent driverless autonomous trucks successful nan state.

Last year, nan California legislature passed a bill that would person required a quality usability to beryllium wrong an autonomous heavy-duty conveyance while it is operating connected nationalist roads successful nan state. California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed nan legislation, saying it was “unnecessary for nan regularisation and oversight of heavy-duty autonomous conveyance exertion successful California, arsenic existing rule provides capable authority to create nan due regulatory framework.”

An identical measure is erstwhile again moving done nan state’s legislature, having passed nan authorities Assembly by an overwhelming 63-4 ballot connected May 21. On June 25, nan measure passed nan state’s Senate Transportation Committee by an 11-1 ballot and will move to nan Senate Appropriations Committee next.

The Teamsters national has voiced support for nan legislation, while autonomous exertion stakeholders person opposed nan bill.

“I’m dumbfounded that nan guidance makes nan arguments that this measure limits nan opportunity for them to trim ‘costs,’” said California Rep. Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, nan bill’s author. “Those ‘costs’ are humans successful nan trucking industry, and nan value [California’s] nationalist will salary for tech companies’ mistakes is our families’, friends’, and neighbors’ safety. Our master motortruck drivers are nan stewards of our highways, not entries connected a equilibrium sheet. They person really testified publically that nan manufacture cares much astir profits than nan information of our constituents connected nationalist streets and highways.”

A abstracted measure moving done California’s legislature would require a shaper of autonomous vehicles to study to nan California Department of Motor Vehicles a conveyance collision, postulation citation, aliases disengagement that occurs erstwhile a manufacturer’s conveyance is operating successful autonomous mode successful nan state.

Like nan measure requiring a quality information usability wrong an autonomous truck, this measure besides overwhelmingly passed nan California Assembly pinch a 61-3 vote, and passed nan Senate Transportation Committee by a 11-2 vote. The Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee will now reappraisal and ballot connected nan bill.

[Related: Kentucky lawmakers override veto of autonomous conveyance legislation]

Volvo, Westport observe charismatic motorboat of associated task partnership

Volvo Group and Westport Fuel Systems connected July 5 marked a defining infinitesimal successful nan travel of nan newly formed associated venture arsenic nan 2 companies celebrated nan charismatic motorboat of their business pinch an exclusive arena astatine nan University of British Columbia, nan birthplace of Westport's High Pressure Direct Injection {HPDI) substance strategy technology.

The HPDI substance strategy reduces c dioxide emissions successful trucking by replacing diesel pinch carbon-neutral aliases zero-carbon fuels for illustration biogas aliases hydrogen.

The 2 companies are coming together to jointly promote, create and further accelerate nan commercialization of nan HPDI technology. In doing so, nan JV will attraction connected moving guardant affordable, sustainable proscription solutions utilizing nan soul combustion motor operating connected renewable fuels now and hydrogen successful nan future.

“This associated task is poised to make a important effect connected world long-haul and off-road heavy-duty applications,” said Dan Sceli, CEO and Director of Westport Fuel Systems, and interim President of nan Volvo/Westport JV. “By combining Volvo’s extended expertise successful commercialized conveyance and powerfulness strategy manufacturing pinch Westport’s innovative substance strategy technology, we are creating a powerful unit for alteration that tin make a meaningful publication to trim c emissions instantly and affordably. Together we are committed to delivering sustainable, efficient, and economically viable solutions for long-haul transportation.”

Collaboration pinch proscription partners and end-users has led to nan deployment of nan HPDI strategy successful thousands of Volvo trucks crossed Europe, underscoring its effectiveness successful achieving c neutrality. Since nan commercialized merchandise of HPDI successful 2018, fleets person collectively avoided hundreds of thousands of tons of CO2emissions annually. This occurrence demonstrates nan contiguous effect of integrating hydrogen and biogas technologies into existing infrastructure, nan companies said.

[Related: Volvo, Westport participate associated venture]