Consumer Watchdog, a non-profit consumer advocacy group has penned a letter to the California DMV asking that they pull all Otto’s self-driving trucks off the road and seek penalties against both the company and its executives “to the fullest extent permissible under the law.”
Owned by ride-sharing giant Uber, Otto made headlines last year when its trucks partnered with Budweiser to make the first commercial delivery with an autonomous truck. Rather than creating a new self-driving truck from the ground up, Otto instead created a kit that can be used to give an existing truck autonomous capabilities.
According to Consumer Watchdog, the company has been testing its technology in California illegally. California only allows testing of self-driving vehicles once a permit is issued and only vehicles weighing under 10,000 lbs can be used to test. In their letter to Jean Shiomoto, the director of the California DMV, “Otto’s robot trucks fail on both counts. They have no permits and they weigh too much.”
In an interview with Recode, a DMV spokesperson made their position on large self-driving vehicles clear.
“Vehicles over 10,000 pounds are not allowed to test autonomous technology on California roadways,” the spokesperson said. “If a company is caught testing, they could be cited by law enforcement and their vehicle registrations could be revoked.”
But Otto claims that they haven’t been breaking any state regulations. This is because while their trucks are capable of autonomous driving, while they’re in the state of California, they don’t operate autonomously. Instead, the trucks were only making use of lane-assist and adaptive cruise control technology.
According to Consumer Watchdog however, Otto cannot be trusted. Pointing to past infractions by its parent company, Uber, Consumer Watchdog writes that “there is absolutely no reason to take Uber’s word for anything. The company simply cannot be trusted.”
“It seems obvious Otto is following the renegade and illegal practices of its parent company in testing self-driving technologies in California without a permit,” said Simpson in an interview with Car and Driver. “This is the same thing as driving without a license, and the enforcement folks should be pursuing this with vigor. I think someone should be in jail.”
Source: consumerwatchdog, recode, usatoday, postandparcel, caranddriver, sfchronicle
Jonny Sponar says
For once I’m with the people in California. Hope they win, too much can go horribly wrong with this idea. All it’d take is a hacker to get into the system…
Victor Young says
I’m with you. Scary stuff.
Truck Driver says
I would have to agree that there should not be any self driving trucks.
But what got me was when they said
“This is the same thing as driving without a license, and the enforcement folks should be pursuing this with vigor. I had to laugh ? . This state has more illegals driving without a license.
Jason says
Actually, CA gives driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants. I was (and still am) appalled that they do.
Jason says
Here is an recent article that not only described the licenses for illegal immigrants, but talks about concerns that are surfacing about it now that Trump is POTUS.
http://www.mercurynews.com/2016/12/28/dmv-licensed-800000-undocumented-immigrants-under-2-year-old-law/
shogun says
In a race to the bottom, Uber has a substantial lead, posting $3 billion in losses in 2016. That Otto truck is incredible, if you watch the video it rides on top of the white line just like a human, WOW! The system only costs $30 grand, so every company will beat down their doors to get it. Insurance companies will be clamoring to insure these truck, and for the first time in history, insurance rates will drop.Banks will beat down trucking companies doors to finance it, and lawyers will starve to death with no trucking accident cases to take on. Forge ahead, Uber you titans of the industry with a firm grasp on logistics.
Paul says
Good luck with the “no accident” idea. There will be more wadded up trucks under this idea than ever thought possible….will the trucks go down the road under normal driving? Yes…throw in a curve, being cut off, snow, ice, fog, unreported construction zones, and you have a disaster about to unfold…so as far as I’m concerned, Uber and all these other gypo fools can shove these things where the sun don’t shine!!!
Les says
Sarcasm
John says
Nicely put. Though, at some point, I wouldn’t mind being able to release driving over to the truck for a while
Old man says
Looks like Uber has a lot of legal issues in other states. A lot of it is false promises of income.
YoungGun says
I can’t believe people would want and trust these autonomous trucks on the road, I wouldn’t even want to be in front of a autonomous Prius. People are so quick to jump to driverless technology but yet have a hard time working 8 hours a day. I think American needs to take some time and some reflection on ROI and scrap this autonomous trucks for good, and tell Uber to stick with ripping off the consumer with there garbage ride share program, and stay out of Logistics.
Kelly says
Why is the ride share a ripoff? We used two different Uber driver for rides to and from an airport in LV on vacation. Polite drivers with nice well kept newer vehicles. Cheaper than taxis or a shuttle. I also have a friend that does it part time Thursday, Friday, Saturday night and Sunday morning. He lives in rural IL, drives into Moline, Rock Island area. Last week he made $1000 after expenses and $300 in tips working 20 hours. That’s better than the plant he works in fulltime. So tell me why is it a ripoff, though Lyft better, not in the area yet.
Iambobthenailer says
I agree except lyft is not better. I started to use lyft but found out quickly they automatically place a $25 hold on your card for EVERY ride. Yes it drops off in a day or two but having a $25 hold for a $6 ride is not cool. Or if a person uses it four time in one day? That’s $100 just in holds on your card. Not cool.
Dominic says
No jobs, I see war in the horizon
C.J.Moore says
AMERICA CAN NOT let this Autonomous Truck idea happen…
We need and must have jobs for people period… Besides the entire operation of the truck, driving, safety inspections, lights working, fluid levels, tire condition checks, loading and unloading, road hazards in the road, Detours when apply, etc…
Need Humans… Need Jobs!!!
Jon says
There is still a Driver present in the truck.
The truck has to follow that Drivers HOS.
Haven’t you been following the Technology?
manny says
Autonomously vehicle are going to be coming but probably only in the lower 48 states. I don’t see a computer running a truck up to the Yukon or Alaska or even running in the winter keeping lanes is one thing successful navigating other drivers and. Poor conditions in the snow.
Edward Fulke says
HERE IS MY THOUGHT, WHICH I REALLY HOPE COMES TRUE! PEOPLE SHOULD
GET USE TO THE SELF DRIVING RIGS, AND THE STEAL EVERYTHING IN THE TRAILER THAT IT IS PULLING! I BET THE COMPANIES WILL THINK TWICE , BEFORE THEY PUT US TRUCK DRIVERS ON THE BACK BURNER!
mike says
great technology but leave self driving to four wheelers and their technology should be limited to only a one mile area from your control .
Charles Ball says
They just don’t like Uber because the CEO is a conservative and supports Trump, so they’ll do anything to make sure the company doesn’t succeed in California.
shogun says
Kelly, your friend is the exception if they are making money with Uber. The average Uber driver works 10 hours a week, yet they still have about 50 percent turnover. Uber came in, paid the “contractors” well, cut out a lot of taxi services, then started cutting rates and manipulating the pay. Ultimately, the techno geeks at Uber would like vehicles to be driverless so they will make all the profit. However, its a pipe dream, and still rejected by a majority of people. Just google “Uber sucks” and see some valuable insight on a leech sucking company’s practices.
Ed Conrad says
Understand, you don’t have to change, but just know, the rest of the world will. The same things have been said about all forms of transportation, trains, planes, autos, but inspite of objection, the problem “Solvers” of the world forge forward, in search if ways to create “Solutions”. I’m sure there were naysayers that objected to electric lights, airconditiining, indoor pluming, microwaves ovens,washing machines and even indoor clothes dryers. Can we as a people us our creative juices to make our world a better and safer place for everyone.
TdB says
It’s beyond naive to think autonomous vehicles won’t eventually dominate the industry.
Accidents will happen, yes, and the resulting legal battles will be interesting, but will not stop the technology. Elon Musk put it best: to gain acceptance autonomous vehicles don’t have to be perfect, they just have to drive better than us. Unfortunately, the deaths will just have to be a statistic in the name of profit. We can make a show of getting indignant at such a statement, but it’s the unspoken reality.