Nevada could be the next state to legalize self-driving cars on public roads, if a draft bill from the Governor’s Office of Economic Development is passed by the legislature.
The bill, titled AB69, looks to update the current driving and traffic laws, to allow driverless vehicles, drones and shuttles onto the roads. It would let personal and commercial cars use the technology, opening the door for taxi and ridesharing firms.
To start, Nevada would push the Department of Motor Vehicles and other regulators to adopt the new laws. From there, the state would push an extensive infrastructure campaign to fit roads and highways with wireless sensors, which communicate with the autonomous vehicles and relay data back to smart city planners.
Nevada has been one of several locations in the U.S. that has pushed progressive self-driving laws through the legislature, but most of the deregulation has focused on controlled tests. Opening the roads to autonomous cars is another step entirely.
Nevada has the potential to follow in the footsteps of other states that have passed legislation on automated vehicles such as Michigan, which passed a bill legalizing level 4 autonomous vehicles on public roads. Arizona has also made significant moves, allowing Uber to test its autonomous taxis in the state.
