Self-Driving Cars in Las Vegas, Nevada

Yes, it changes everything

Self-driving cars in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Self-driving cars are taking the world by storm. Just a few years ago, the idea of a self-driving vehicle sounded like something from a futuristic movie. Today, most major US cities are testing self-driving cars at full speed. Las Vegas is one of these cities. Furthermore, the public is searching for the best use of self-driving vehicles. Airports, college campuses, and ride-sharing companies are excellent places to start.

Self-driving cars defined

The definition of a self-driving car is unclear and will likely evolve in the next few years. The U.S. Dept. of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Society adopted the standard The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE International) created in 2014.

This SAE Standard defines six (6) self-driving car levels: Level 0 (no driving automation), Level 1 (driver assistance), Level 2 (partial assistance), Level 3 (conditional assistance, in case of emergency, the driver can take control of a car), Level 4 (high automation) and Level 5 (full automation).

Currently, car manufacturers are mainly concerned with Level 3, conditional assistance. The question associated with this level is - what if the human driver cannot take complete control of the car during an emergency? Some manufacturers want to skip Level 3 and proceed directly to Level 4, high automation.

Current regulatory structure

Self-driving cars don't exactly fit into the current regulatory structure. Today, the Department of Transportation dictates how vehicles are built (airbags, seat belts, crumple zones), and the states regulate vehicle operation (licensing, insurance, traffic laws).

This division of labor doesn't work with self-driving cars - how the vehicle is designed controls how the vehicle operates.

Self-driving car companies

What brand is the best? Not all vehicles are made equal, and no one knows yet what self-driving cars will have the best record regarding safety, reliability, convenience, and privacy. However, this year, Cruise (G.M.), Waymo (Google), Tesla, and Dailmer are on top of the list.

H.D. road maps

Self-driving cars require very accurate and up-to-date high-definition (H.D.) mapping systems. A lot of work needs to be done to ensure that self-driving vehicles have a perfect and complete picture of their surroundings. Many self-driving car manufacturers don't rely on publicly available maps and produce their own maps.

What happens in Las Vegas?

Keep reading if you want to learn what happens in Las Vegas and Nevada. We will discuss:

Robotaxis,
AI-powered self-driving trucks,
Food delivery robots,
Self-driving buses/shuttles,
Rental cars & teledriving,
Self-flying drones, and
Autonomous delivery vehicles.

In addition, we will answer many questions from our clients about autonomous vehicles and explain the current Nevada laws and regulations.

Robotaxis

A robotaxi is an autonomous vehicle operating as a self-driving taxi service.

In Las Vegas, Zoox's (Amazon subsidiary) autonomous driverless robotaxis has been driving on public roads since June 16, 2023.

You can also request a robotaxi via Uber or Lyft app. If a self-driving Uber or Lyft taxi is in your geo area, they will send you one.

AI-powered self-driving trucks

Driverless trucks are commercial vehicles that operate without the constant direct control of a human driver. Self-driving 18-wheeler trucks have been on the roads in Nevada since 2015. Daimler (Mercedes-Benz's parent company) was the first to receive a permit to test its self-driving 18-wheeler trucks in Nevada.

Food delivery robots

A food delivery robot is an autonomous robotic device designed to transport food and beverages from a restaurant to a customer's location. You can see these robots on the UNLV campus.

When using a food delivery app (DoorDash, GrubHub, or Uber Eats), look for "Offers Robot Delivery."

Self-driving buses

Usually, self-driving buses are owned and operated by public transportation authorities, private companies, or partnerships between the two. The first self-driving bus tested in Las Vegas was a Navya shuttle.

Las Vegas runs on and off different pilot programs for self-driving buses. You may see free self-driving shuttle buses in downtown Las Vegas, Fremont Street, and Container Park areas.

Rental cars & teledriving

If you want to rent an electric vehicle (EV) in Las Vegas, you can now have one delivered remotely without a driver. During delivery, a human operator behind a computer screen controls the car. After you drop off the vehicle, the teledriver will bring it back, and you don't have to worry about parking.

Self-flying drones

Nevada loves drones! Self-flying drones are in a constant state of evolution. However, human oversight and intervention are often required to ensure safety and compliance with drone regulations.

Delivery vehicles

Autonomous delivery vehicles carry goods, not passengers. These vehicles deliver food, small parcels, groceries, and medicine to people who live in local neighborhoods. In Southern Nevada, the Nuro company is testing its autonomous delivery vehicles on public roads.

Can you get a DUI in a self-driving car?

The question we hear a lot is, "Can you get a DUI in a self-driving car?"

The answer is yes. The only self-driving cars available to the public right now are the cars with the autopilot. The autopilot features do not make the car autonomous. Vehicles with autopilot require active driver supervision and always having your hands on the steering wheel.

So, if you are drunk and the police stop your vehicle, you will get a DUI - because you are in control of the car.

Do you need a driver's license for a self-driving car?

Currently, yes. Cars with autopilot (e.g., Tesla) require active driver supervision, always having your hands on the steering wheel and maintaining vehicle control.

Fully autonomous vehicles, like robotaxis or mini buses, are NOT available to the public to buy.

What happens if you hit a self-driving car?

If you caused an accident and are at fault, you (or your insurance) would be liable for the damages to the self-driving car, as well as any injuries sustained by the occupants of that car.

Insurance for self-driving cars

The definition of self-driving cars is not very clear because the six automation levels exist today.

You must have car insurance if you bought a car with the autopilot. Fully autonomous vehicles are available for commercial use only (e.g., robotaxis, shuttles, autonomous delivery vehicles), and businesses that operate them have business insurance.

Can you rent a self-driving car?

You can rent an electric vehicle with an autopilot feature, delivered remotely without a driver. It is called a teledriving. This service is available only in some parts of Las Vegas.

Do I need a self-driving car attorney?

If your vehicle collides with a robotaxi, self-driving truck, or autonomous delivery vehicle, and you get injured, you may need an attorney with expertise in autonomous vehicle technology. If it happens to you, call us at 702-432-1000. We are licensed in Nevada, DC, California, and Utah.

Are self-driving cars legal?

Yes, self-driving cars are legal in Nevada.

You must get a permit from the Nevada DMV to operate a fully self-driving vehicle, like a robotaxi, mini-shuttle, or autonomous delivery vehicle.

Accidents: Who is liable?

There are always disputes concerning liability/responsibility.

Currently, in the case of a motor vehicle accident, most of the liability is on the driver who committed the traffic infraction and, as a result, caused an accident. With fully autonomous vehicles (vehicles without a driver), the liability shifts to the other parties - the vehicle owner or vehicle service operator with liability insurance. Often, the vehicle owner and service operator are the same entity (e.g., Waymo robotaxi).

Another thing to remember is that the self-driving vehicle is not necessarily at fault. Another driver could be negligent, too, and liable for the collision. Pedestrians could be careless, disobey the road rules, and cause an accident. Humans can vandalize or purposely confuse the vehicle.

Experts predict that there will be fewer car accidents with self-driving cars compared to what we have today, but accident compensations could be much higher.

Self-driving cars and data

The big challenge will be determining if a self-operating system was at fault in an accident. Insurance companies must look at the data to answer this question. And this itself brings many other issues. For example, who owns the data, and will this data be made available? How software intellectual property laws and cybersecurity laws will be involved and affected? Keep in mind that each car manufacturer will be using proprietary software.

Accident video recording - black box

Today, a built-in video recorder in any taxi videotapes the last 10 seconds before an accident. Identical video recorders are installed in every self-driving car to determine liability for the crash.

Regulations on self-driving cars

Nevada was the first state that allowed the testing of autonomous cars on public roads.

On February 15, 2012, Nevada approved regulations allowing self-driving vehicles to operate on the state's roadways. (See AB 511 (36-6)).

On May 5, 2015, Nevada issued the first permit for a self-driving commercial truck to operate on an open public highway.

On June 16, 2017, Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval signed autonomous vehicle research legislation (AB69). The Bill authorizes fully autonomous vehicles to be tested or operated on a highway within Nevada.

Nevada turned out to be the perfect place to test self-driving cars in extreme heat conditions.

More regulations

NRS-482A covers Nevada laws and regulations for autonomous vehicles. In these statutes, you will find definitions and rules for:

automated driving systems,
autonomous cars,
driver-assistive platooning technology (when two or more trucks or other motor vehicles travel on a highway),
the dynamic driving task,
rules for operating self-driving cars on a highway,
the requirements for insurance or a bond for testing autonomous vehicles in Nevada, and more.

NRS-482B - a proposed regulation that still needs to be approved.

Senate Bill SB422 (approved). Starting January 1, 2024, in Nevada, food delivery robots operating on college campuses can run on sidewalks and crosswalks.

Getting a permit in Nevada

The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles is accepting applications to test self-driving cars.

According to the DMV website, "Nevada does not issue a permit or license based on an autonomous vehicle's level of automation, nor does the DMV test or certify vehicles. Nevada law allows all automation levels to operate on public streets."

Federal laws

H.R.3711 - SELF DRIVE Act still needs to be approved. The Bill is supposed to set standards for self-driving motor vehicles and rules for construction.

Final thoughts

Many new laws will be created, and current laws will have to be changed to adapt to the new rules of the road. Still, there are so many questions that need to be answered.

a) How are the police going to enforce the rules of the road? Traffic tickets and DUI arrests may eventually disappear, but what will replace them?

b) Communicating with pedestrians is another big question. Is using LED displays, light projections, or audible sounds with pre-recorded messages enough to communicate with pedestrians?

c) How will self-driving cars behave at night or respond to bad weather conditions like high wind, fog, heavy smoke from wildfires, direct sunlight, extreme heat like in Las Vegas, or sand storms?

d) Predicting other drivers' behavior and creating a safe fallback procedure for self-driving vehicles is the biggest challenge. Will pedestrian airbags and the remote operator assisting a bot in unpredictable emergencies be enough?

e) Do we need vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication so that one self-driving car can communicate with another in case of unexpected emergency? Yes. It also means vehicles share data like location, speed, and direction. What laws will cover this data sharing?

Right now, there are more questions than answers, but most of these questions will be answered in the next five years.

We plan to follow the laws surrounding self-driving cars very closely and update this article with new information as soon as it becomes available.

Stay tuned!

Last updated on February 2, 2024.

Heshmati & Associates

Heshmati & Associates is a personal injury and criminal defense law firm in Las Vegas, Nevada.