Nevada regulators approve autonomous vehicle permits for Tesla, Waymo and Aviari in Clark County

The Nevada Transportation Authority (NTA) has unanimously approved permit applications for Tesla Robotaxi, LLC, Waymo LLC and Aviari Services, LLC to operate as Autonomous Vehicle Network Companies in Nevada. The approvals authorize each company to provide paid passenger transportation in fully autonomous vehicles across Clark County under Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 706B.

Under the approved orders, Tesla received authorization for a fleet of up to 5,000 fully autonomous vehicles during its first 12 months of operation. Waymo and Aviari were each approved for up to 1,000 fully autonomous vehicles during their respective first 12 months.

While the approved geographic footprint encompasses Harry Reid International Airport, the companies cannot begin servicing airport routes without first obtaining official authorization from the Clark County Department of Aviation.

Before placing any vehicles into public service, all three companies must satisfy strict NTA regulatory requirements. Operators are required to submit vehicle inspection documentation, maintain mandated insurance coverage, file fare rates with the authority and submit customer-facing applications for regulatory review. The permits also mandate compliance with state accessibility, nondiscrimination, reporting and receipt regulations.

To ensure emergency preparedness, commissioners required each company to provide first responders within their operational areas with a 24-hour emergency contact. Companies must also report all vehicle crashes pursuant to state law, maintain inspection and repair logs subject to NTA oversight and launch operations within 120 days after permit issuance.

“Nevada has established a regulatory framework for autonomous vehicle network companies that is intended to provide a clear process for innovation while maintaining regulatory oversight,” said Kristopher Sanchez, Director of the Nevada Department of Business and Industry. “As autonomous vehicle technology continues to develop and these companies scale up their operations, I support the NTA’s commitment to evaluate the existing regulatory framework and make adjustments when appropriate to ensure that the safety of the traveling public remains a central consideration.”

The NTA will maintain ongoing jurisdiction over all issued permits and operator compliance. Any proposed changes to approved operational design domains, geofenced boundaries or operating parameters will require prior approval from the authority.