19.1043.01000
Sixty-sixth
Legislative Assembly HOUSE BILL NO. 1418
of North Dakota
Introduced by
Representative D. Ruby
Senator Rust
1 A BILL for an Act to create and enact chapter 8-12 and section 39-01-01.2 of the North Dakota
2 Century Code, relating to automated vehicle network companies and autonomous vehicle
3 operations; to amend and reenact subsection 1 of section 39-06.1-08 of the North Dakota
4 Century Code, relating to nonmoving violations; and to repeal section 39-10-51 of the North
5 Dakota Century Code, relating to unattended motor vehicles.
6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF NORTH DAKOTA:
7 SECTION 1. Chapter 8-12 of the North Dakota Century Code is created and enacted as
8 follows:
9 8-12-01. Definitions.
10 As used in the chapter:
11 1. "Autonomous vehicle" means a vehicle equipped with an automated driving system.
12 2. "Client" means a person requesting service from an on-demand autonomous vehicle
13 network. The term includes a passenger, a shipper, as defined by section 41-07-02, a
14 person entitled under the document, as defined by section 41-07-02, or similar
15 individual or commercial enterprise.
16 3. "On-demand autonomous vehicle network" means a transportation service network
17 that uses a software application or other digital means to dispatch or otherwise enable
18 the prearrangement of transportation with autonomous vehicles for purposes of
19 transporting persons or goods, including for-hire transportation, transportation for
20 compensation, and public transportation.
21 8-12-02. General provisions.
22 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person may operate an on-demand
23 autonomous vehicle network. An on-demand autonomous vehicle network may
24 provide transportation of persons or goods, including:
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1 a. For-hire transportation;
2 b. Public transportation; and
3 c. Transportation for multiple passengers who agree to share the ride.
4 2. An on-demand autonomous vehicle network may connect passengers to autonomous
5 vehicles without human drivers in compliance with subdivision a of subsection 3 of
6 section 39-01-01.2 exclusively, or subdivision b of subsection 3 of section 39-01-01.2
7 as part of a digital network that also connects passengers to human drivers who
8 provide transportation services, consistent with applicable law.
9 3. Unless otherwise provided in this chapter and notwithstanding any other provision of
10 law, autonomous vehicles and automated driving systems without human drivers are
11 governed by subsection 3 of section 39-01-01.2.
12 a. A state agency or political subdivision may not impose requirements, including
13 performance standards specific to the operation of an autonomous vehicle or
14 automated driving systems without human drivers in compliance with
15 subsection 3 of section 39-01-01.2.
16 b. A tax or requirement may not be imposed on an autonomous vehicle without a
17 human driver which is in compliance with subsection 3 of section 39-01-01.2, an
18 automated driving system, or an on-demand autonomous vehicle network if the
19 tax or requirement relates to the operation of an autonomous vehicle without a
20 human driver which is in compliance with subsection 3 of section 39-01-01.2.
21 SECTION 2. Section 39-01-01.2 of the North Dakota Century Code is created and enacted
22 as follows:
23 39-01-01.2. Autonomous vehicle operations.
24 1. As used in this section:
25 a. "Automated driving system" means hardware and software collectively capable of
26 performing the entire dynamic driving task for the vehicle on a sustained basis
27 when installed on a motor vehicle and engaged regardless of whether it is limited
28 to a specific operational design domain.
29 b. "Autonomous vehicle" means a vehicle equipped with an automated driving
30 system.
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1 c. "Dynamic driving task" means all of the real-time operational and tactical
2 functions required to operate a vehicle in on-road traffic within the vehicle's
3 specific operational design domain, if any, excluding the strategic functions such
4 as trip scheduling and selection of destinations and waypoints.
5 d. "Human driver" means an individual with a valid license to operate a motor
6 vehicle who controls all or part of the dynamic driving task.
7 e. "Minimal risk condition" means a low-risk operating mode in which an
8 autonomous vehicle operating without a human driver achieves a reasonably
9 safe state, such as bringing the vehicle to a complete stop, upon experiencing a
10 failure of the vehicle's automated driving system that renders the vehicle unable
11 to perform the entire dynamic driving task.
12 f. "Operational design domain" means a description of the specific operating
13 domain in which an automated driving system is designed to properly operate,
14 including roadway types, speed range, environmental conditions, and other
15 domain constraints.
16 g. "Operator" means an individual who drives or is in actual physical control of a
17 motor vehicle upon a highway or who is exercising control over or steering a
18 vehicle being towed by a motor vehicle.
19 2. An autonomous vehicle must be capable of operating in compliance with all applicable
20 federal and state law, except to the extent exempted under applicable federal or state
21 law, and may operate on the public highways of this state in full compliance with all
22 vehicle registration, title, insurance, and all other applicable requirements under this
23 title.
24 3. An autonomous vehicle with automated driving systems engaged does not require a
25 human driver to operate on the public highway relevant to the vehicle's intended
26 operational design domain. An individual using an autonomous vehicle in which the
27 automated driving system is completing the entire dynamic driving task is not driving
28 or in actual physical control of the autonomous vehicle and, therefore, is exempt from
29 licensing requirements.
30 SECTION 3. AMENDMENT. Subsection 1 of section 39-06.1-08 of the North Dakota
31 Century Code is amended and reenacted as follows:
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1 1. A violation of section 39-04-11, subsection 1 of section 39-04-37 by an individual by
2 becoming a resident of this state, subsection 4 of section 39-06-17, and section
3 39-06-44, 39-06-45, 39-10-47, 39-10-49, 39-10-50, 39-10-51, 39-10-54.1, 39-21-08,
4 39-21-10, 39-21-11, or 39-21-14, or a violation of any municipal ordinance equivalent
5 to the foregoing sections.
6 SECTION 4. REPEAL. Section 39-10-51 of the North Dakota Century Code is repealed.
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Statutes affected: INTRODUCED: 39-06.1-08, 39-10-51
FIRST ENGROSSMENT: 39-06.1-08