Autonomous semi-trucks are now hauling real freight on one of California's busiest trucking corridors. Kodiak AI and Fresno-based DTL Transport have completed their first autonomous trucking deliveries under a heavy-duty testing permit from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), the companies announced, with trucks hauling time-sensitive, perishable goods between Fresno and a distribution centre in Los Angeles.
Source: GlobeNewswire / Kodiak AI
The pilot, which started on September 22, covers approximately 225 miles, mostly on California State Route 99 and Interstate 5 — the same corridor thousands of Punjabi truck drivers from the Central Valley drive every week, The Trucker reported.
Source: The Trucker
"California's comprehensive autonomous vehicle regulations are a major unlock for freight innovation in our home state," Kodiak founder and CEO Don Burnette said. DTL Transport, headquartered in Fresno, said the work helps it add capacity when demand exceeds its available fleet. "Our work with Kodiak helps us understand how embracing this cutting-edge technology improves safety, increases margins, and affirms our leadership position in the industry," DTL president and CEO Lucky Dosanjh said.
How the permit system works
The DMV approved new regulations on April 28 that allow heavy-duty autonomous vehicles to be tested on California public roads for the first time, and Kodiak received its permit on August 13. The system is phased: companies begin with a safety driver behind the wheel and must log 500,000 miles at each stage of certification before moving toward driverless operation, according to reporting on the regulations.
The union lawsuit
Teamsters California has sued over the rules, alleging the DMV approved heavy-duty driverless trucks without properly weighing the impact on jobs and without properly considering public input, SupplyChainBrain reported, citing the Los Angeles Times. The lawsuit alleges regulators violated California's Administrative Procedure Act by failing to complete an evaluation of the economic impact of the change. Those are the union's allegations; a court has not ruled on them.
Source: SupplyChainBrain
"Make no mistake: this is just the beginning of Teamsters California's fight for good jobs and safety on our roads," the union said in a statement reported by ABC7. "The DMV's decision to rush forward with driverless heavy-duty trucks is reckless, and we will use every tool necessary to stop it — including taking this fight to the courts." Port of Oakland operator William Hall told ABC7 he supports testing, saying trucking companies' biggest problem is finding and keeping drivers.
Source: ABC7 / KGO
Heavy Duty Trucking reported that Aurora Innovation has also received a drivered testing permit in California, with Gatik and Plus.ai also listed as permit holders on the DMV website — meaning the Fresno–Los Angeles pilot is the first wave of a statewide change, not a one-off experiment.
Source: Heavy Duty Trucking
Highway 99 and I-5 are the backbone of Central Valley trucking, where many Punjabi families own trucks and small fleets. For now, California testing still starts with a safety driver in the cab — but the court fight over these rules will help decide how fast driverless freight reaches the routes those families depend on.