The big rig in the next lane could one day be driving itself. California just issued its first permits for self-driving trucks to test on public roads under new rules, and one company is already rolling. The change ends a ban that had kept the heaviest autonomous vehicles off the state's highways, and it gives two California companies a reason to come home. California Just Opened the Door For years, the state had a simple rule: if a driverless vehicle weighed more than 10,000 pounds, it stayed off public roads. That changed on April 28. The DMV, which regulates autonomous vehicles in California, lifted the ban and laid out a path for testing heavy trucks now and deploying them later. Two companies asked for permits right away. Aurora Innovation and Kodiak AI, both based in California, applied in the spring after the DMV revised its rules. Kodiak is already out there, with a handful of trucks running mostly near its Mountain View office. The DMV says both companies cleared the bar on safety, insurance, vehicle registration, and safety-driver qualifications. The permits come with limits. A safety operator has to stay behind the wheel. Test drives are only allowed on roads with speed limits above 25 miles per hour, except when a truck is making a direct run between two places. As self-driving trucks roll forward mile by mile, build your own steady wealth with the free Always Be Buying eBook. The Pushback Was Fast Not everyone is happy about this. Teamsters California sued the DMV last week in Alameda County Superior Court. The union says the agency skipped legal steps to study and publish the economic effects of autonomous trucks on public roads, and that it overlooked safety risks for motorists. So this lawsuit is about jobs, but it is