US grants Aurora exemption for self-driving trucks safety feature
AUR•The US Transportation Department approved a five-year exemption allowing Aurora and other self-driving trucking companies to use cab-mounted warning beacons instead of placing warning devices around stopped trucks. The agency said the beacons offered an equivalent or greater level of safety.
1. Five-year exemption approved
The US Transportation Department approved a five-year exemption from rules requiring drivers to place warning devices around stopped trucks. Autonomous trucking companies may use warning beacons mounted on the truck cab instead, which the department said offered an equivalent or greater level of safety.
2. Conditions and company response
Companies using the exemption must notify the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration beforehand and disclose crashes involving a vehicle when the beacons are activated or should have been activated. The agency said it would revoke exemptions if they resulted in a lower level of safety. Aurora said the decision recognized the economic and community benefits of autonomous trucking; the company has around 20 self-driving trucks in on-road operations.
