Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, April 17, 2024:
After Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear vetoed a bill earlier this month that would have cleared the way for fully-autonomous, driverless vehicles -- including trucks -- to operate in the state, lawmakers overrode the veto, allowing the bill to become law.
HB 7 was passed by the state’s House and Senate before being shot down by the governor. It clears a regulatory path for fully autonomous vehicles without a human driver to operate, as long as the vehicle meets certain conditions.
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Beshear, in vetoing the bill, said it “does not fully address questions about the safety and security of autonomous vehicles, nor does it implement a testing period that would require a licensed human driver to be behind the wheel” for passenger vehicles. The bill did require a testing period with a driver to be present for trucks with a declared gross weight and any towed unit over 62,000 pounds through July 31, 2026.
“Opening Kentucky's highways and roads to fully autonomous vehicles should occur only after careful study and consideration and an extensive testing period with a licensed human being behind the wheel, which is what other states have done before passing such law,” Beshear added.
The Kentucky House voted 58-40 to override the veto, and the state Senate voted 21-15 to override.
