‍Amy Witherite Raises Safety Concerns About Self-Driving 18-Wheelers in Texas

Self-driving commercial trucks are expanding on Texas roads, prompting questions about whether autonomous technology is ready to operate safely alongside motorists. Testing in Ellis County, south of Dallas, has drawn attention from professional truck drivers, local residents and traffic-safety advocates.

According to CBS News Texas, autonomous 18-wheelers that have undergone years of supervised testing could begin operating without a human driver behind the wheel. The transition from supervised testing to fully driverless operation represents a significant change, particularly because commercial trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds.

Experienced truck drivers rely on judgment developed through years on the road. That experience can help drivers anticipate unsafe behavior, adjust to changing traffic patterns and respond to unexpected hazards. The CBS News Texas report examined whether autonomous systems can reliably perform those same tasks under complex, real-world conditions.

Amy Witherite, founder of Witherite Law Group and a traffic-safety advocate, raised concerns about whether enough evidence exists to establish that driverless trucks can operate safely in situations involving severe weather, unexpected roadway hazards and technology failures.

Witherite emphasized that public roads should not become testing grounds for technology that has not been sufficiently validated. When an autonomous commercial vehicle encounters a software failure, sensor limitation or unexpected road condition, the consequences could affect everyone sharing the roadway.

Public skepticism remains another important consideration. The CBS News Texas report cited an AAA survey showing that many motorists were uncomfortable with the prospect of sharing the road with self-driving commercial trucks.

The development of autonomous-trucking technology may eventually offer transportation and safety benefits, but Witherite has called for transparent testing, meaningful regulatory oversight and clear accountability before fully driverless 18-wheelers are deployed more broadly.

As autonomous trucking continues to develop, Witherite Law Group remains focused on the safety of motorists and families. Companies introducing driverless commercial vehicles should be prepared to demonstrate that their systems can respond reliably across the full range of conditions encountered on Texas roads.

Read the CBS News Texas coverage: North Texas Drivers Express Concerns Over Self-Driving 18-Wheelers