The real test is how legible are they when you are driving past a sign at night at 70 MPH?
Of course, they could have easily tested the two fonts with a couple of signs at one or two locations rather than changing countless thousands of signs and making the entire U.S. into beta testers.
You are correct and I would like to think that, that was done. Maybe just wrong?
Since these are all letters cut by template and purchased by sign producers, I hope this was not just a “money making” change or “new” company being “pushed” with some bad reason.