In its October 9 statement, Aurora said the DOT’s decision allows the company to move forward with flashing beacons mounted on the cab to alert other drivers when a truck is stopped on the shoulder. According to the company, the beacons function similarly to the warning lights used by construction and emergency vehicles and are intended to serve the same purpose as reflective triangles in breakdown situations. FMCSA has not yet posted the exemption in the Federal Register or commented publicly.

Under current federal rules, truck drivers must place three warning devices on the road when stopped on the shoulder. The first must be positioned about 10 feet from the vehicle on the traffic side. The second must be placed roughly 100 feet behind the truck in the lane or on the shoulder in the direction of approaching traffic. The third must be set about 100 feet ahead of the truck in the same lane or shoulder, facing away from approaching traffic. Since autonomous trucks are designed to operate without a driver onboard, physically placing these triangles is not possible. For that reason, Aurora and Waymo filed requests last year for an exemption that would allow the use of cab-mounted warning lights in place of traditional devices.

FMCSA denied that request in December 2024, stating it was too broad and didn’t include the necessary oversight to guarantee safety. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association opposed the exemption at the time and raised concerns that the warning beacons would not be effective in certain conditions, such as when a truck is parked within 500 feet of a curve. OOIDA pointed out that reflective triangles and flares don’t depend on truck electronics and continue to work when technology fails. The group also questioned how these autonomous systems would handle situations where the beacons themselves malfunction or lose power.

Aurora has continued to expand its driverless testing, even as it navigates regulatory hurdles. In April, the company began operating vehicles without a driver behind the wheel on Interstate 45 between Dallas and Houston. At first, some test runs had someone seated in the back or no one on board at all. By mid-May, Aurora added a human driver back into the front seat after a request from its partner, Paccar. Since then, the company has extended routes to Phoenix, Fort Worth, and El Paso.

Aurora is not the only one pushing for rule changes. In August, Emergency Safety Solutions asked FMCSA for a five-year exemption from the same triangle placement requirement so it could use its own warning light technology in breakdown situations. OOIDA opposed this request as well, and FMCSA has not yet issued a decision. The public comment period ended in late September.

For now, Aurora’s approval from the DOT marks a major step in how autonomous trucking companies may handle roadside emergencies without a driver present. Truck drivers across the industry will be watching closely to see how federal regulators address safety concerns and whether exemptions like this become more common as more driverless trucks enter the highways.

Source: Land Line Media

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On Wednesday, Jan. 8, FMCSA shared its plan to conduct a “Study of Warning Devices for Stopped Commercial Motor Vehicles” by publishing a notice in the Federal Register. The goal? To analyze whether warning devices significantly impact drivers’ behavior in scenarios involving parked or disabled CMVs—and, if they do, to determine how and to what extent.

“It is an experimental study that requires data collection for evaluating whether warning devices meaningfully influence crash-relevant aspects of human performance in the presence of a parked or disabled commercial motor vehicle, and if so, how and to what extent,” FMCSA explained in its announcement.

The study is set to involve a sample group of 256 drivers.

Current Regulations on CMV Warning Devices

Under existing rules, all commercial motor vehicles are required to carry warning devices. When a vehicle is stopped on the road or the shoulder—not including cases where traffic conditions prevent it—these devices must be deployed following specific guidelines. Placement depends on various factors, such as whether the roadway is straight or curved.

“These requirements follow from the basic notion that increasing the conspicuity of a parked or disabled commercial motor vehicle makes it easier to see and recognize, thereby reducing the risk of a crash involving passing motorists,” the FMCSA stated.

However, the growing presence of autonomous vehicle (AV) technology has prompted new scrutiny of these longstanding regulations.

Autonomous Vehicles and the Warning Device Debate

Back in December 2024, FMCSA rejected a request from Waymo and Aurora to exempt autonomous trucks from the current warning device requirements.

The companies proposed outfitting their autonomous trucks with mounted warning beacons on the truck cab as an alternative to deploying traditional devices like reflective triangles or flares.

FMCSA declined the application, describing the request as overly broad. Nonetheless, the agency left the door open for exemption applications focused on narrower aspects of the regulation.

Now, the FMCSA is doubling down by launching a formal investigation to determine how effective the current warning device regulations truly are.

Using Modern Tools for a Deeper Analysis

Advancements in technology are providing FMCSA with new ways to measure how drivers respond to warning devices. Tools such as sensors and eye-tracking systems can offer valuable insights into reaction times and levels of driver attention.

“FMCSA plans to implement these modern tools in a controlled experiment at a closed-course, state-of-the-art driving research facility,” the agency said. “This setup will enable the most comprehensive study of warning device effectiveness conducted to date.”

The findings could have far-reaching implications, potentially shaping future regulations around warning devices. Additionally, the data may assist FMCSA in responding to exemption requests for alternative solutions, such as those proposed by Waymo and Aurora.

“FMCSA plans to implement these modern tools in a controlled experiment at a closed-course, state-of-the-art driving research facility that will allow the most comprehensive examination of the effects of warning devices to date,” the agency wrote. “The results of the study may support future rulemaking related to warning devices and provide baseline data necessary to inform agency decisions on exemption applications for alternative warning device products.” FMCSA concluded.

Source: Land Line

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