Aurora secures key regulatory approval over safety cones

Autonomous trucking firm Aurora Innovation Inc. has secured a key regulatory victory on its road to widespread deployment.

When a semi-truck is forced to make an emergency pull over, drivers are required by federal law to put out warning cones or road flares behind the vehicle, something a driverless truck is incapable of complying with. Years ago, Aurora (NASDAQ: AUR) and Alphabet‘s Waymo, who at the time was also developing an autonomous semi, filed a motion with the Department of Transportation to allow it to place warning beacons on the side of the vehicle instead, similar to those used in construction.

While the DOT initially denied that exemption at the end of last year, Aurora has announced that it has now secured approval to use the cab mounted beacons.

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