GoKawiilFMCSA grants Aurora Innovation and Kodiak AI five-year exemption on roadside triangle rule
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued a five-year exemption letting self-driving truck operators Aurora Innovation and Kodiak AI use cab-mounted warning beacons instead of physically placed reflective triangles when a truck breaks down. The change addresses a rule that assumed a human driver would exit the vehicle to set out warning devices within 10 minutes of a breakdown, something autonomous trucks without drivers cannot do. Aurora had previously sued over the requirement and appealed to the D.C. Court of Appeals after an earlier denial.
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The exemption removes a longstanding regulatory obstacle that companies said made full commercial deployment of driverless trucks impractical on public highways. Kodiak's Daniel Goff suggested the decision could help the industry move toward broader rollout, though the exemption is time-limited to five years and may be revisited. Other autonomous trucking companies could seek similar treatment, potentially accelerating competition in the sector.
- FMCSA granted a five-year exemption allowing cab-mounted warning beacons instead of roadside triangles.
- Aurora Innovation had previously sued regulators and appealed to the D.C. Court of Appeals over the rule.
- Kodiak AI's Daniel Goff said the change could help the industry expand commercial operations.
Source: techcrunch.com — Kirsten Korosec, 2026-10-11
Published there as: “TechCrunch Mobility: A roadblock clears for self-driving trucks”
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