California
California Assembly Passes Bill Prohibiting Autonomous Trucks On State’s Roads Without Drivers
![California Assembly Passes Bill Prohibiting Autonomous Trucks On State’s Roads Without Drivers California Assembly Passes Bill Prohibiting Autonomous Trucks On State’s Roads Without Drivers](https://imageio.forbes.com/specials-images/imageserve/64813c964fc929378330c0ae/0x0.jpg?format=jpg&width=1200)
An artist conception of the new Mercedes-Benz Self Driving Truck by Daimler.
Late last month, the California State Assembly passed a bill, Assembly Bill 316, prohibiting autonomous weighing over 10,000 pounds from operating on the state’s roads without a human driver.
The ruling, which was Teamster supported, was a defeat for the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association (AVIA), which consists of Uber, Ford, and Waymo. The AVIA contends that artificial intelligence can drive more effectively than humans. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), California, with 398 deaths, ranked second in fatalities resulting from large truck crashes in 2020.
Many argue that human drivers are safer than autonomous vehicles and that putting driverless trucks weighing upwards of 80,000 pounds on the roads with much lighter passenger vehicles is reckless and dangerous.
“California highways are an unpredictable place, but as a Teamster truck driver of 13 years, I’m trained to expect the unexpected. I know how to look out for people texting while driving, potholes in the middle of the road, and folks on the side of the highway with a flat tire. We can’t trust new technology to pick up on those things,” said Fernando Reyes, Commercial Driver and Teamsters Local 350 member. “My truck weighs well over 10,000 pounds. The thought of it barreling down the highway with no driver behind the wheel is a terrifying thought, and it isn’t safe. AB 316 is the only way forward for California.”
A study from the American Automobile Association (AAA) in March, 2023, found that nearly 70 percent of Americans fear fully self-driving cars — a significant increase from previous years. A study in Texas, in April 2023, reported that more than 70 percent of Texans said they would be afraid to share the road with driverless heavy trucks.
“We need AB 316 to pass because we can’t trust big tech companies to look out for the best interest of Californians,” said Randy Cammack, President of Teamsters Joint Council 42. “Not a single one of these AV companies have demonstrated that they have a safe product, are committed to retraining workers displaced by automation, or that they will create more middle class jobs than they destroy. These companies are against AB 316 because they’re looking out for their bottom line, and workers need elected officials to look out for theirs.”
Chris Piche, CEO and founder of Smarter AI, offered a very different viewpoint and expressed concern that California’s ruling may have a ripple effect in other states. “I believe that the recent California autonomous truck driving bill is a step in the wrong direction. Requiring human drivers in self-driving trucks undermines the potential of artificial intelligence to revolutionize the transportation industry. By embracing AI technology, we have the opportunity to enhance road safety and increase efficiency. It is crucial to trust in the capabilities of autonomous systems and work towards a future where driverless vehicles can operate safely and effectively on our roads.”
AB 316, which still faces two divided parties in California, is expected to be heard in the Senate soon.
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California
Car plunges off California’s Devil’s Slide cliff into ocean, killing three passengers: cops
![Car plunges off California’s Devil’s Slide cliff into ocean, killing three passengers: cops Car plunges off California’s Devil’s Slide cliff into ocean, killing three passengers: cops](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/https-www-ktvu-com-video-86296631.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=1024)
Three people died Friday when their car tumbled down a cliff and into the ocean near the Devil’s Slide on California’s famed Highway 1.
Cops got a call about a single-vehicle crash just before noon that day, forcing police, fire crews and other first responders to mobilize for a cliff rescue, according to SFGate.
The car — a gray two-door sedan — careened off the southbound side of the road and dropped about 300 feet down an embankment between Pacifica and Montara, according to a California Highway Patrol spokesperson and news reports.
Authorities shut down the road for several hours as rescuers rappelled to the vehicle, which lay on its roof as seawater lapped around the wreckage.
“It was a recovery mission, and it was steep cliffs and tough terrain,” a member of Cal Fire told Fox 2 KTVU. “The car was partially submerged, so our rescuers were taking on waves.”
The impact was so violent that it catapulted pieces of the vehicle away from the wreck.
When they reached the site, rescuers quickly pronounced two of the vehicle’s occupants dead.
But an incoming high tide curtailed their efforts, which included hauling heavy machinery down the cliff so first responders could cut the car apart and recover the bodies, the station said.
A third person — also dead — was found inside the car on Saturday, the outlet said.
Cops haven’t released the victims’ identities, and the investigation is still ongoing, the highway patrol said.
California
Latest Line: A good week for Kamala Harris, bad week for California unions
![Latest Line: A good week for Kamala Harris, bad week for California unions Latest Line: A good week for Kamala Harris, bad week for California unions](https://www.mercurynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/harris-MRlisting.png?w=1024&h=670)
Kamala Harris
President Joe Biden ends his re-election bid and supports Vice President Harris, California’s former Senator and Attorney General and San Francisco’s former District Attorney, to run in his place, as Democratic leaders quickly unite in support of her historic campaign.
Unions
California’s powerful labor unions lose key California Supreme Court ruling unanimously upholding a voter-approved Proposition 22 that allows gig-work companies like Uber and DoorDash to treat their drivers and delivery workers as independent contractors instead of employees.
Gavin Newsom
Democrats’ quick move to support Vice President Kamala Harris for president after President Biden ended his re-election bid snuffed out talk of California’s governor as a viable alternative. But recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling boosts Newsom’s effort to clear illegal encampments of homeless people that have hurt Newsom’s national image.
California
California wildfire evacuee shelters with her 7 dogs
![California wildfire evacuee shelters with her 7 dogs California wildfire evacuee shelters with her 7 dogs](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/XGT0mY8hOg.N7KY9pWcU5g--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyMDA7aD02NzU-/https://cf-images.us-east-1.prod.boltdns.net/v1/jit/6415665815001/1410a3bb-6a93-48e3-9049-e9b4e1c7e01a/main/1280x720/24s650ms/match/image.jpg)
Thousands of firefighters battling a wildfire in northern California are getting some help from the weather just hours after the blaze exploded in size, scorching an area larger than Los Angeles. But it is little consolation to the many who have had to evacuate or have lost their homes to the flames, including evacuee Susan Singleton and her 7 dogs. (AP Video by Eugene Garcia)
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