California Grants First Self-Driving Heavy-Duty Truck Permits to Aurora and Kodiak

The California DMV granted the state's first heavy-duty autonomous truck testing permits to Aurora Innovation and Kodiak AI on August 13, 2026, under rules finalized April 28 that lifted a prior ban on self-driving vehicles over 10,000 pounds. Permits require a human safety operator. Teamsters California has sued the DMV over the regulatory process.