Recent debates over the future of self-driving trucks in California ignored some of the most important voices: the truck drivers working on these technologies every day. I am a truck driver turned autonomous truck safety driver. My first-hand experience gives me a deep understanding of how this new technology will impact the lives of truck drivers across the country, and I am deeply passionate about how it will both save lives and help supplement, not replace, truck drivers.
A safety driver’s job is to monitor an autonomous truck as it drives down the road, and make sure the truck drives itself as well as I would, or better. I am encouraged to take control at any time I would have acted differently from the vehicle. Every single time I take control, that moment is flagged for review. This feedback helps our engineers understand how an experienced truck driver would have acted in that situation, so they can improve the driving behavior of the vehicle.
My road to becoming a safety driver was a long one. I served in the U.S. Army for 17 years, before being honorably discharged due to combat injuries I sustained in both Iraq and Afghanistan. After returning home, I was enrolled in the Wounded Warriors program, where I used that time to attain my Commercial Driver’s License and started a career in trucking. I tried driving long-haul, but, like many drivers, I found it difficult to spend so many nights sleeping in my truck away from my wife and five kids. When I learned about autonomous trucking, it seemed like a perfect fit where I could combine my driving experience with the safety expertise I developed in the Army.
Being a safety driver is the best job I’ve ever had. I get to help build and advance technology to make the roads safer for everyone. For those who are scared about the idea of self-driving semi-trucks, please know that our safety record is air-tight. Autonomous trucks don’t speed, they don’t drive aggressively, and they don’t get tired at the end of a 14 hour day.
I understand why some of my fellow drivers are concerned about autonomous trucking, but I have talked to countless drivers at truck stops and beyond, and most are simply curious due to lack of knowledge about the technology and what it will mean for drivers.
I think the reality is that this technology is going to be great for truckers. Let’s face it – truckers know there aren’t enough of us these days. Most drivers are like me: they love driving, but find the long-haul lifestyle too difficult, want to be home with their families every day, and are passionate about making roads safer. Having autonomous trucks that can do the difficult long-haul jobs can help take some of the pressure off of drivers, who can focus on the more local and regional jobs that are not as good a fit for autonomous technology. There will be new jobs as well: inspectors, dispatchers, technicians, and, of course, safety drivers. And if you love driving long-haul, it’s going to take a long time for this technology to be fully deployed – you’ll be able to retire as a long-haul driver.
I watch what’s happening in California closely, since most autonomous trucking companies, including my own, are based in the Bay Area. I’m disappointed by the wave of policies designed to regulate autonomous vehicles out of existence. We simply need these new technologies to improve safety and keep our supply chains moving. While it’s been great for me and great for Texas, it’s sad to see California become a place that’s hostile to innovation. I hope that cooler heads will prevail, and that this life-saving technology will find a place on California’s freeways.
Jorge Baeza is a safety driver for Kodiak Robotics.
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