TechCrunch Mobility: A roadblock clears for self-driving trucks

TechCrunch Mobility reports that self-driving truck companies Aurora Innovation and Kodiak AI received a federal exemption allowing them to replace roadside warning devices with cab-mounted beacons. The exemption removes a regulatory barrier that required human drivers to deploy warning triangles within 10 minutes if a self-driving truck pulled over due to a mechanical issue. This decision was reached after a legal battle with the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. The exemption allows companies to use beacons that can alert road users without needing a human driver. The exemption is set to last for five years.

Aurora Innovation’s vice president of external affairs, Daniel Goff, stated that the exemption will help the industry “usher in an autonomous era of freight movement on U.S. roads, one that can save lives and improve the efficiency of goods delivery.” The beacons are described as a “critical, 21st-century solution that enhances roadside safety by immediately alerting other road users without ever needing to put a person in harm’s way.” The decision is seen as a significant step forward for autonomous trucking.

The article also mentions that Redwood Materials, a battery-recycling company, has started restructuring to focus on energy storage, with some executives leaving the company. Waymo, the autonomous vehicle company, has turned to debt financing for the first time, with a $5 billion loan led by PIMCO, Blackstone, and Sixth Street. The debt financing is part of Waymo’s strategy to expand its commercial presence in existing cities and new markets. The article also highlights other deals and developments in the tech industry, including Bloom raising $3.6 million, Flai raising $27 million, and Parallel Systems raising $100 million.

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