Well, that was fast!
In October 2010 Google announced that their driverless cars had driven over 140,000 miles on California roads.
Then in May 2011 it was announced that Google was actively lobbying in Nevada for changes to the laws that would allow for trials of driverless cars on the road.
This week the Nevada Assembly passed Bill 511 which begins the process for allowing driverless cars on the road. Regulations still need to be created, however driverless cars will soon be on the road in Nevada.
The relevant section of Bill 511 is Section 8 and reads:
1. The Department shall adopt regulations authorizing the operation of autonomous vehicles on highways within the State of Nevada.
2. The regulations required to be adopted by subsection 1 must:
(a) Set forth requirements that an autonomous vehicle must meet before it may be operated on a highway within this State;
(b) Set forth requirements for the insurance that is required to test or operate an autonomous vehicle on a highway within this State;
(c) Establish minimum safety standards for autonomous vehicles and their operation;
(d) Provide for the testing of autonomous vehicles;
(e) Restrict the testing of autonomous vehicles to specified geographic areas; and
(f) Set forth such other requirements as the Department determines to be necessary.
3. As used in this section:
(a) “Artificial intelligence” means the use of computers and related equipment to enable a machine to duplicate or mimic the behavior of human beings.
(b) “Autonomous vehicle” means a motor vehicle that uses artificial intelligence, sensors and global positioning system coordinates to drive itself without the active intervention of a human operator.
(c) “Sensors” includes, without limitation, cameras, lasers and radar.
If you’d like, you can also read the Full Text of Nevada Assembly Bill 511.
Driverless vehicles on the roads are one step closer!
