NAC482A.110. License: Application; affirmation; requirements of applicant; fee; insurance; bond; validity; renewal.

     1. A person may apply for a license to test the autonomous technology installed on the autonomous vehicles of the person by submitting an application to the Department on a form provided by the Department. A license issued pursuant to this section authorizes the testing of the autonomous technology installed on the autonomous vehicles of the licensee on the highways of this State even if certificates of compliance have not been issued for the autonomous vehicles pursuant to NAC 482A.190.

     2. The form provided by the Department must require the applicant to affirm that, to the best of the applicant’s knowledge and belief, each autonomous vehicle to be tested:

     (a) Is safe to operate on the highways of this State.

     (b) Has a separate mechanism in addition to, and separate from, any other mechanism required by law, to capture and store the autonomous technology sensor data for at least 30 seconds before a collision occurs between the autonomous vehicle and another vehicle, object or natural person while the vehicle is operating in autonomous mode. The autonomous technology sensor data must be captured and stored in a read-only format by the mechanism so that the data is retained until extracted from the mechanism by an external device capable of downloading and storing the data. Such data must be preserved for 3 years after the date of the collision. The provisions of this paragraph do not authorize or require the modification of any other mechanism to record data that is installed on the autonomous vehicle in compliance with federal law.

     (c) Has a switch to engage and disengage the autonomous vehicle that is easily accessible to the operator of the autonomous vehicle and is not likely to distract the operator from focusing on the road while engaging or disengaging the autonomous vehicle.

     (d) Has a system to safely alert the operator of the autonomous vehicle to take control of the autonomous vehicle if a technology failure is detected.

     (e) Is equipped with autonomous technology which does not adversely affect any other safety features of the vehicle which are subject to federal regulation.

     3. An applicant to operate a business to test autonomous vehicles pursuant to this section must:

     (a) Submit proof to the Department that each autonomous vehicle which will be tested in this State is covered by insurance in an amount that meets or exceeds the minimum requirements for a vehicle registered in this State as set forth in NRS 485.185, and not an operator’s policy of liability insurance as described in NRS 485.186. Any change in the information submitted concerning a policy of insurance pursuant to this section must be reported to the Department within 10 business days after the effective date of the change.

     (b) Submit with the application proof satisfactory to the Department that one or more of the autonomous vehicles of the applicant has been driven by the applicant for a combined minimum of not less than 10,000 miles in autonomous mode. The applicant must further provide proof that such autonomous vehicle or vehicles of the applicant have been driven in various conditions for a number of miles that demonstrates the safety of the vehicle or vehicles in those conditions. Such conditions include, without limitation, operating the autonomous vehicle in various weather conditions, on various types of roads and during various times of the day and night.

     (c) Demonstrate the artificial intelligence and technology used in its autonomous vehicles to the Department for approval.

     (d) Submit the proposed geographic locations where the applicant wishes to test the autonomous vehicles. The applicant must establish to the satisfaction of the Department that the autonomous vehicles of the applicant are capable of being driven in the conditions of the proposed geographic locations in compliance with the traffic laws and other laws applicable to drivers and motor vehicles operated in this State.

     4. An application to test autonomous vehicles submitted pursuant to this section must be accompanied by a nonrefundable fee of $100 and:

     (a) Proof of insurance or self-insurance acceptable to the Department in the amount prescribed by NRS 482A.060; or

     (b) A surety bond or deposit of cash in lieu of the bond in the amount prescribed by NRS 482A.060.

     5. The Department may require such additional information, documentation and affirmations as the Department deems necessary or appropriate before approving an application to test autonomous vehicles that is submitted pursuant to this section.

     6. A license to test autonomous vehicles that is issued by the Department pursuant to this section is valid for 1 year after the date of issuance and may be renewed by submitting an application in the same manner as for the initial license. To avoid a lapse in the license issued pursuant to this section, a licensee wishing to renew his or her license must submit an application for renewal at least 30 days before the date on which the license is set to expire.

     (Added to NAC by Dep’t of Motor Veh. by R084-11, 2-15-2012, eff. 3-1-2012; A by R027-13, 10-23-2013)