Austin Jenkins, Pluribus News/State Affairs//August 19, 2026// The push to swap human drivers in commercial trucks with artificial intelligence-powered systems is being met with public wariness, pushback and even litigation, as the technology moves from testing to deployment. The autonomous truck industry says driverless semis can save lives and help address a driver shortage. Critics counter that self-driving big rigs pose a danger and will supplant jobs. Tension is growing between the two sides as deployment quickly expands and as states write the rules of the road without federal regulations. Teamsters California sued the Department of Motor Vehicles this month, challenging new state regulations for light- and heavy-duty autonomous vehicles. The Teamsters say self-driving trucks are an “existential threat to the livelihoods” of its members and allege the DMV violated the law by not properly evaluating the economic impacts or allowing adequate public feedback. “Such a critical decision with life-and-death consequences must involve public input and transparency,” Peter Finn, Teamsters California co-chair, said in an Aug. 5 statement announcing the lawsuit. The DMV declined to comment on active litigation. Jeff Farrah, CEO of the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association, criticized the lawsuit in a statement posted to X as a “last-ditch attempt to undermine the regulatory authority of the Department of Motor Vehicles, and it should be rejected.” The Teamsters have sought to pass laws in California and elsewhere requiring human drivers behind the wheel of autonomous trucks, which the industry views as a roadblock to deployment. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, both Democrats, have twice vetoed so-called driver-in bills. In a veto statement this year, Polis said the bill “risks preventing Coloradans from being on the cutting edge of innovation that would improve safety in the future.” Read more: Newsom vetoes autonomous truck bill Similar legislation