The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has recently denied a request to exempt autonomous trucks from existing regulations concerning the placement of warning devices. This decision was made public in a notice set to appear in the Federal Register on Friday, 27 December.
The regulations in question stipulate that when a commercial motor vehicle is stopped on the shoulder of a highway for reasons other than necessary traffic stops, drivers must deploy specific warning devices. This involves placing one device on the traffic side and 10 feet away from the stopped vehicle, another at a distance of 100 feet that is centred in the traffic lane or shoulder, and a third at the same distance but facing away from approaching traffic.
In 2023, companies Waymo LLC and Aurora Operations submitted a request for exemption which would permit them to utilise warning beacons mounted on their truck cabs, instead of the traditional warning devices mandated by FMCSA regulations. The agency's notice detailing the denial stated that the exemption request lacked sufficient data to support its broad nature and did not incorporate necessary monitoring controls aimed at maintaining highway safety.
FMCSA’s announcement pointed out, “The broad exemption is not supported by the data presented and lacks necessary monitoring controls to ensure highway safety.” However, the agency clarified that this decision does not rule out the possibility of future exemptions for more narrowly defined uses in specific locations or for particular companies.
The FMCSA received a total of 51 public comments regarding the exemption request, which were split evenly with 25 in favour, 25 opposing, and one neutral. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) formally opposed the request, arguing that Waymo and Aurora failed to justify the exemption adequately.
OOIDA indicated concern regarding the research and studies provided by the companies, asserting, “The research and studies presented in Waymo/Aurora’s exemption request from the regulations that require specific placement of warning devices around a stopped commercial motor vehicle are not sufficient to ensure an equivalent or greater level of safety.” Furthermore, the association raised issues regarding the absence of a backup plan for scenarios where the automated systems could fail, stating, “Waymo/Aurora do not discuss any backup warning systems that can be implemented if and when an automated truck experiences any type of failure where the lights or beacons can no longer function.”
Despite this setback in their exemption request, Aurora has plans to deploy up to ten driverless trucks on designated routes in Texas by spring 2025. Additionally, Daimler, which is collaborating with Waymo, is anticipating the deployment of fully driverless trucks by 2027.
Source: Noah Wire Services