On May 29, 2025, Colorado Governor Jared Polis vetoed a bill that would have made it illegal for autonomous trucks to run in the state without a CDL-holding person inside the cab.
The bill, HB25-1122: It passed the state legislature and would have
- Required a commercial driver with a valid CDL to be inside all self-driving commercial vehicles at all times.
- Mandated the driver stay in the seat if hazardous materials were in the load.
- Set fines starting at $1,000 for the first violation, and doubling with each new offense.
Why it matters: Polis called the bill an “outright ban” on testing and running autonomous trucks in Colorado. He said it could slow down future safety improvements and put Colorado out of line with other states.
What they said: “Driver error is the leading cause of accidents. Preserving tools which could make Coloradans safer is critical... Allowing HB 25-1122 to become law would require a driver to be present in commercial vehicles, which may undermine innovation,” Polis said in his veto response.
The bill included exceptions for light duty vehicles and only covered larger commercial rigs, according to the Colorado General Assembly.
For now, self-driving trucks can still be tested in Colorado without a CDL-holder in the cab, unless new laws are passed in the future.