Waymo, Aurora, Uber, and others urge California to lift its ban on heavy-duty self-driving trucks

A group of 35 industry leaders wrote an open letter to the governor saying that California is at risk of losing its competitive edge if it doesn't lift a ban on the operation of self-driving semitrailer trucks.

The letter was signed by a cross section of companies, including Waymo, Aurora, TuSimple, Embark, and U.S. Postal Service. Heavy-duty self-driving trucks can't be tested in public.

Since the beginning of the year, California has allowed public testing of trucks that are autonomously driving. Vehicles weighing more than 10,001 pounds are not allowed under the state's permitting system. Class 1 and 2 trucks, which include minivans, pickup trucks, utility vans, and step vans, can receive permits for testing.

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According to the letter, California is falling behind other states in regards to the rules regarding the types of vehicles that can operate on public roads. Semitrailer trucks are the exception to the rule when it comes to the development of the technology.

Since the initial 2012 enabling legislation, there has been no movement for self-regulation of trucking. In order to make California the global hub for the technology that will define the future of transportation, we are asking your Administration to initiate a thoughtful rulemaking process.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles said it was working with the state's highway patrol on developing regulations for vehicles weighing more than 10,001 pounds.

One of the first applications of automated driving technologies could be long-haul trucking. There is a lot of fear in the trucking industry about the displacement of truck drivers.

The study found that automated trucks could reduce the demand for drivers by as much as 70% in the US and Europe by the year 2030. Tech companies are introducing prototypes that will cut the driver out of the equation.

In the last few years, there have been a lot of partnerships in the trucking industry. Daimler, an established player, said it would be joining forces with one of the newcomers.

The statement from the California Department of Motor Vehicles was updated in the afternoon.