Map Shows States Deploying Autonomous Trucks as Concerns Grow

Autonomous trucking is becoming more mainstream on highways throughout the United States.

Key points

• According to A lawsuit challenging California's regulations, more than 200, 000 employed semi-truck drivers work in California, along with a similar number of owner-operators.
• "People may accept automation in a warehouse, but a fully loaded 80, 000-pound truck traveling 70 miles per hour next to their family feels very different."
• A March poll from Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety discovered that 85 percent of respondents were concerned concerning sharing the road with autonomous trucks.
• Nevertheless, bills requiring a human operator inside autonomous trucks have failed in Delaware, Indiana, Maryland and Texas, and governors in California and Colorado vetoed similar legislation.
• "These issues are particularly important for an 80, 000-pound commercial truck traveling at highway speed, " Sargolzaei remarked.

Autonomous trucking is becoming more mainstream on highways throughout the United States. To date, at least five states have deployed autonomous trucks on their roads. Nevertheless, already there's been growing opposition from labor groups and public safety office-holders. While some believe autonomous trucks could create roads safer and reduce shipping costs while addressing persistent driver shortages, others feel the technology threatens hundreds of thousands of jobs. There's additionally worries that the technology has not yet demonstrated it can safely handle every real-world situation that will be encountered on American highways. "What will the liability look like when you have trucks autonomously driven nationwide and the inevitable accident occurs? And how does this impact the independent drivers and operators who work on a contract basis?" Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, informed Newsweek. Why It Matters Commercial freight transportation is a critical part of the U.S. Economy, with millions of deliveries moving nationwide every day. If autonomous trucking becomes widespread, it could reshape supply chains and labor markets along with the trucking industry itself. What to Know A number of states have become major hubs for autonomous truck testing and deployment, including: According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, autonomous vehicle legislation has been introduced in dozens of states looking at operator requirements, liability and testing. "The biggest objection is that driverless trucks are at the intersection of two very emotional issues: highway safety and job security, " Mark Norman Vena, the CEO of SmartTech Research, informed Newsweek. "People may accept automation in a warehouse, but a fully loaded 80, 000-pound truck traveling 70 miles per hour next to their family feels very different." Growing Pushback The most significant opposition to autonomous trucking is coming from organized labor groups, particularly the Teamsters union. Teamsters California filed a lawsuit this month challenging California's autonomous truck regulations, arguing that state authorities failed to adequately evaluate the economic consequences of allowing driverless heavy-duty trucks. "Such a critical decision with life-and-death consequences must involve public input and transparency, " Peter Finn, Teamsters California co-chair, remarked in an official note this month. Finn additionally called self-driving trucks an "existential threat" to drivers' livelihoods. Similar legal battles are emerging in other states. Nevertheless, bills requiring a human operator inside autonomous trucks have failed in Delaware, Indiana, Maryland and Texas, and governors in California and Colorado vetoed similar legislation. Safety Reservations Safety is one of the biggest unresolved matters when it comes to autonomous trucking. A March poll from Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety discovered that 85 percent of respondents were concerned concerning sharing the road with autonomous trucks. Mistakes involving fully loaded tractor-trailers could have severe consequences since of their size and weight, experts say. But meanwhile, autonomous systems could be better than human drivers since they do not secure distracted or tired after long stretches of time, and accidents on highways are generally caused by human error. "Autonomous trucks have the potential to improve safety since automated systems do not experience fatigue, distraction, intoxication or numerous other human limitations. Nevertheless, automation might not completely eliminate risk, " Arman Sargolzaei, a professor at the University of South Florida Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing, informed Newsweek. Sargolzaei remarked the new risks include sensor and perception failures as well as software errors and cybersecurity attacks. Construction zones, unusual road conditions, severe weather and even interactions with emergency responders could all cause trouble on the road with autonomous vehicles. "These issues are particularly important for an 80, 000-pound commercial truck traveling at highway speed, " Sargolzaei remarked. Fears Regarding Job Losses Another major concern is employment. Truck driving is one of the country's largest occupations, and unions have cautioned that widespread automation could eventually eliminate substantial numbers of driving jobs. According to A lawsuit challenging California's regulations, more than 200, 000 employed semi-truck drivers work in California, along with a similar number of owner-operators. The long-term impact could affect hundreds of thousands of workers in the state. "If this becomes the norm, there could be a significant problem since so many truck drivers live outside of the traditional job scope, " Thompson remarked. While others may have criminal records limiting opportunities within the traditional corporate sphere, "Some may come with priors. We often say that when some jobs close, others open, but for some individuals, that simply isn't the case." But ongoing driver shortages have additionally plagued the industry, and some believe automation could address these gaps rather than immediately replace all drivers. "The pushback around autonomous fleets comes down to fear of friction, whether that's public safety concerns on city streets and highways or broader integration challenges, " Diane Swint, GM of Arrive for Business, informed Newsweek. "But automation won't transform operations overnight. It will shift the focus away from repetitive routes toward complex oversight and specialized service roles." What Could the Economic Impact Be? Meanwhile, the exact economic impact of nationwide autonomous trucking adoption could be far-reaching. While the benefits include lower freight transportation costs, more efficient supply chains and reduced labor costs, the trend could additionally lead to displaced truck-driving jobs for humans. "Economically, this becomes another redistribution of wealth, " Thompson remarked. "The owners of these firms will reap the benefits of higher margins and profits, but the question remains: What happens to the end consumer? Will those efficiencies ultimately drive down rates?" What Happens Next The rollout of autonomous trucking is anticipated to continue as more states consider legislation. While regulators are facing pressure to establish clearer rules, litigation in California over driver requirements could additionally impact how swiftly driverless trucking grows nationwide. "In the end, it will be safety that decides autonomous trucks, " Vena remarked. "These systems won't get tired, distracted, angry or impaired, but one high-profile accident involving a driverless semi could quickly erode years of gains in consumer confidence." Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Jason Lemon and Dave Siminoff.

Newsweek is a Trust Project member.

See more of our trusted coverage when you search.to see more of our trusted coverage when you search.

To date, at least five states have deployed autonomous trucks on their roads. Nevertheless, already there's been growing opposition from labor groups and public safety office-holders.

While some believe autonomous trucks could create roads safer and reduce shipping costs while addressing persistent driver shortages, others feel the technology threatens hundreds of thousands of jobs. There's additionally worries that the technology has not yet demonstrated it can safely handle every real-world situation that will be encountered on American highways.

"What will the liability look like when you have trucks autonomously driven nationwide and the inevitable accident occurs? And how does this impact the independent drivers and operators who work on a contract basis?" Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, informed Newsweek.

Commercial freight transportation is a critical part of the U.S. Economy, with millions of deliveries moving nationwide every day.

If autonomous trucking becomes widespread, it could reshape supply chains and labor markets along with the trucking industry itself.

In practice, a number of states have become major hubs for autonomous truck testing and deployment, including.

Texas: Texas is potentially becoming the leading state for autonomous trucking deployment, and Aurora has operated commercial autonomous freight routes connecting cities including Dallas, Houston, El Paso, Fort Worth and Phoenix.

Arizona: The state is a longtime testing hub with permissive autonomous vehicle policies and freight routes connected to operations in Texas.

California: Lately opened the door to heavy-duty autonomous truck testing under new DMV regulations. Aurora and Kodiak AI have already received testing permits.

Colorado: Lawmakers have debated requiring human operators in autonomous trucks, but Governor Jared Polis vetoed legislation to prevent the new autonomous types of vehicles.

Florida: State law allows fully autonomous vehicles to operate on public roads without a human driver, making it one of the most AV-friendly states.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, autonomous vehicle legislation has been introduced in dozens of states looking at operator requirements, liability and testing.

"The biggest objection is that driverless trucks are at the intersection of two very emotional issues: highway safety and job security, " Mark Norman Vena, the CEO of SmartTech Research, informed Newsweek. "People may accept automation in a warehouse, but a fully loaded 80, 000-pound truck traveling 70 miles per hour next to their family feels very different."

Meanwhile, the most significant opposition to autonomous trucking is coming from organized labor groups, particularly the Teamsters union.

Teamsters California filed a lawsuit this month challenging California's autonomous truck regulations, arguing that state authorities failed to adequately evaluate the economic consequences of allowing driverless heavy-duty trucks.

"Such a critical decision with life-and-death consequences must involve public input and transparency, " Peter Finn, Teamsters California co-chair, remarked in an official note this month. Finn additionally called self-driving trucks an "existential threat" to drivers' livelihoods.

Similar legal battles are emerging in other states. Nevertheless, bills requiring a human operator inside autonomous trucks have failed in Delaware, Indiana, Maryland and Texas, and governors in California and Colorado vetoed similar legislation.

Safety is one of the biggest unresolved problems when it comes to autonomous trucking.

Notably, a March poll from Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety discovered that 85 percent of respondents were concerned concerning sharing the road with autonomous trucks.

Mistakes involving fully loaded tractor-trailers could have severe consequences since of their size and weight, experts say. But meanwhile, autonomous systems could be better than human drivers since they do not secure distracted or tired after long stretches of time, and accidents on highways are generally caused by human error.

"Autonomous trucks have the potential to improve safety since automated systems do not experience fatigue, distraction, intoxication or numerous other human limitations. Nevertheless, automation might not completely eliminate risk, " Arman Sargolzaei, a professor at the University of South Florida Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing, informed Newsweek.

Sargolzaei remarked the new risks include sensor and perception failures as well as software errors and cybersecurity attacks.

Construction zones, unusual road conditions, severe weather and even interactions with emergency responders could all cause trouble on the road with autonomous vehicles.

Truck driving is one of the country's largest occupations, and unions have cautioned that widespread automation could eventually eliminate substantial numbers of driving jobs.

According to A lawsuit challenging California's regulations, more than 200, 000 employed semi-truck drivers work in California, along with a similar number of owner-operators. The long-term impact could affect hundreds of thousands of workers in the state.

"If this becomes the norm, there could be a significant problem since so many truck drivers live outside of the traditional job scope, " Thompson remarked. While others may have criminal records limiting opportunities within the traditional corporate sphere, "Some may come with priors. We often say that when some jobs close, others open, but for some individuals, that simply isn't the case."

But ongoing driver shortages have additionally plagued the industry, and some believe automation could address these gaps rather than immediately replace all drivers.

"The pushback around autonomous fleets comes down to fear of friction, whether that's public safety concerns on city streets and highways or broader integration challenges, " Diane Swint, GM of Arrive for Business, informed Newsweek. "But automation won't transform operations overnight. It will shift the focus away from repetitive routes toward complex oversight and specialized service roles." What Could the Economic Impact Be?

Meanwhile, the exact economic impact of nationwide autonomous trucking adoption could be far-reaching.

While the benefits include lower freight transportation costs, more efficient supply chains and reduced labor costs, the trend could additionally lead to displaced truck-driving jobs for humans.

"Economically, this becomes another redistribution of wealth, " Thompson remarked. "The owners of these firms will reap the benefits of higher margins and profits, but the question remains: What happens to the end consumer? Will those efficiencies ultimately drive down rates?"

Notably, the rollout of autonomous trucking is projected to continue as more states consider legislation.

While regulators are facing pressure to establish clearer rules, litigation in California over driver requirements could additionally impact how swiftly driverless trucking grows nationwide.

"In the end, it will be safety that decides autonomous trucks, " Vena remarked. "These systems won't get tired, distracted, angry or impaired, but one high-profile accident involving a driverless semi could quickly erode years of gains in consumer confidence." Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Jason Lemon and Dave Siminoff.

Taken together, the developments around map Shows States Deploying Autonomous Trucks as Concerns Grow point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.