U.S. federal regulator rejects self-driving truck company's request for roadside warning exemption

Federal regulators in the United States recently rejected an application for exemption from roadside warnings by self-driving truck companies. Regulators believe that self-driving truck companies have not provided enough data to prove that cab-mounted beacons can replace traditional warning devices. Self-driving truck companies such as Aurora and Waymo have submitted petitions to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, hoping to obtain exemptions so that they do not need to display ground reflective signs or road signal lights when trucks are parked on highways or on the shoulder of the road. However, regulators pointed out in a rejection notice that these companies did not provide sufficient evidence to prove the effectiveness of the beacons.