California is loosening its restrictions on autonomous trucking, paving the way for much heavier driverless vehicles to be tested on public roads. Under the new rules, self-driving trucks weighing as much as 80,000 lbs will be eligible for public-road testing, a major increase from the previous 10,000-lb limit.The regulatory change follows California's Department of Motor Vehicles granting Aurora Innovation and Kodiak AI approval to test their autonomous driving systems on public roads. The DMV introduced the updated rules in April, creating a regulatory framework specifically designed to accommodate heavy-duty autonomous vehicles.The new framework expands testing beyond the smaller robotaxis already seen on California roads, allowing much larger trucks to operate on public streets and highways. Kodiak has already begun conducting a limited amount of testing on public roads under the new regulations. However, just because these companies have been permitted, it does not mean they can operate semi-trucks on highways without drivers.AdvertisementAdvertisementAccording to a report by Gadget Review, the newly approved testing will still require a trained human safety operator to remain behind the wheel. That means these trucks will operate under supervision, rather than as fully autonomous vehicles, with testing limited primarily to major freight routes such as I-5, SR-99, I-10, and I-15. They will also generally be prohibited from using roads with speed limits of 25 mph or lower, aside from certain direct-route exceptions.Image credit: Kodiak.aiCalifornia has also set a demanding mileage threshold before companies can even seek permission for fully driverless operations. A company must first complete 500,000 miles of testing with a safety driver, including at least 100,000 miles within the state, before logging another 500,000 miles without one. For heavy-duty autonomous trucks, these requirements are roughly ten times higher than those for light-duty vehicles, reflecting the additional scrutiny given to vehicles weighing up to 80,000 lbs.Fully driverless operations will require separate permits and substantial safety data, meaning California is still several regulatory steps away from allowing trucks to operate without human supervision. Kodiak already operates driverless freight commercially in Texas, so California is catching up rather than leading the industry.AdvertisementAdvertisementHowever, California's rules introduce stricter standards, including shifting liability for violations from the driver to the manufacturer. The DMV calls the framework "the most comprehensive AV regulations in the nation."