LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Experts say Nevada is a hotspot for driverless vehicle testing, with hundreds of autonomous cars on the state’s roadways right now.
There are currently 12 companies testing 452 autonomous vehicles on Nevada roads, according to the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles.
The DMV’s Compliance Division Chief J.D. Decker says he expects that number to grow.
“I think Nevada is going to continue to be on the front lines for this kind of technology,” said Decker.
He says one reason this testing is so popular in the Silver State is because Nevada was one of the first states to write out autonomous vehicle testing guidelines back in 2011.
“What’s required for a license, what’s required for testing, what the penalties are for violating,” Decker stated while reading through the statute.
Nevada not only wrote out guidelines, but authorized future technology.
“They recognized that, ‘hey, the technology is going to change, we need to make this relatively broad, to apply to the technology that will exist, not just the technology that exists now,” Decker explained.
Decker suspects this drew autonomous vehicle testing companies to Nevada.
Zoox, a company that develops autonomous vehicles, has one of their largest testing fleets in Las Vegas.
The company’s Director of Fleet Operations, Justin Windus, says the state’s innovative environment was one reason they were drawn to the state.
“That’s one of the things that drew us to Nevada, is a very welcoming regulatory body that welcomes innovation,” said Justin Windus Zoox Director of Fleet Operations.
Windus says the company was also attracted to the area by the characteristics of the roadways.
“On the roads we are testing on right now, there’s driving on multilane roads, speed limits up to 45 miles per hour, light rain conditions and damp road conditions,” Windus explained.
To test here, companies have to apply for a license through the DMV,
Decker says most of the 452 active licenses have a potential driver in the car on standby, but some are being operated without one. It’s up to the company to decide if the cars can safely operate on their own.
The DMV keeps track of any safety violations or incidents where an autonomous vehicle is at fault. Decker says if a company has multiple violations, they’ll potentially revoke a license.
He says no licenses have been revoked so far.
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