Startup wants to bring driverless freight trucks to California's roads

A Bay Area startup is working to bring electric, autonomous freight trucking to California’s roads by redesigning the semitruck around efficiency. Humble Robotics, founded in San Francisco last year, raised $24 million to develop a cabless truck called the Humble Hauler, which it says removes the steering wheel, gas pedal, and driver’s seat. The company says the truck could operate across California and other states while cutting costs and reducing carbon dioxide emissions. It emerged from stealth in April with seed funding led by Eclipse Capital, along with Energy Impact Partners. Humble is aiming to benefit from recent California DMV rule changes that lifted a ban on autonomous trucks over 10,001 pounds, but testing requirements still mandate a human safety driver and 500,000 miles at each certification stage. Competitors include Aurora and Kodiak, which use traditional driver controls, and experts say cabless designs may face additional regulatory hurdles.