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 ten 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 still unclear and is likely to evolve over the next few years. The U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration adopted the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE International) standard 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 the 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, which is 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, seatbelts, and crumple zones), while states regulate vehicle operations (licensing, insurance, and 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 created equal, and no one knows yet which self-driving cars will have the best records for safety, reliability, convenience, and privacy. However, this year, Waymo (Google) and Tesla are leading the charge with self-driving cars, while Daimler is making significant progress with autonomous trucks. Amazon's Zoox is also advancing with fully autonomous electric shuttles designed for ride-hailing services.

H.D. road maps

Self-driving cars require highly accurate, up-to-date high-definition (HD) 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; instead, they produce their own.

What happens in Las Vegas?

A lot of autonomous technology is tested in Nevada, and that's no accident. The extreme heat makes it a great place to see how self-driving vehicles really hold up in tough, real-world conditions.

In this article, we'll take a closer look at:

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

We'll also answer some of the most common questions we hear from our clients and break down what Nevada and federal laws and regulations say about autonomous vehicles.

Robotaxis

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

In Las Vegas, Zoox, an Amazon subsidiary, has had fully driverless robotaxis on public roads since June 16, 2023. These vehicles are designed to operate completely on their own. Starting September 10, 2025, Zoox officially launched its robotaxi service on and around the Las Vegas Strip. Rides are free and can be booked through the Zoox app.

Up until mid-2024, you could also get a robotaxi through Uber or Lyft in Las Vegas. If one was available nearby, the app would send a self-driving vehicle operated by Motional (formerly Aptiv). However, in 2024, Motional announced it was pausing those robotaxi services to focus on further tech development. Because of that, autonomous rides through Uber and Lyft are temporarily unavailable in Las Vegas.

AI-powered self-driving trucks

Driverless trucks are commercial vehicles that can operate without a human driver constantly behind the wheel. These self-driving 18-wheelers have actually been cruising Nevada roads since 2015. Daimler, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, was the first to get the green light to test its autonomous trucks in the state.

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 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the Reno campuses.

When you're using a food delivery app like DoorDash, Grubhub, or Uber Eats, just look for the option that says "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 different pilot programs for self-driving buses on and off. You may see free self-driving shuttle buses in downtown Las Vegas, Fremont Street, and Container Park areas. However, these pilot programs have evolved, with new technologies and vehicle models being tested.

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—companies like Vay and Halo.Car have been actively operating in Las Vegas for the last few years.

Self-flying drones

Nevada loves drones! As technology evolves, self-flying drones continue to make significant progress. However, despite their advancements, human oversight and intervention are still 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 residents in local neighborhoods. In Southern Nevada, the Nuro company is actively 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 currently available to the public are those with autopilot features. 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, with your hands on the steering wheel and always maintaining vehicle control.

Fully autonomous vehicles, such as robotaxis or minibuses, are not available for public purchase.

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 and any injuries sustained by the occupants of that car.

Insurance for self-driving cars

If you own a car with an autopilot feature, you are required to have car insurance. Fully autonomous vehicles, such as robotaxis, shuttles, and delivery vehicles, are currently only available for commercial use. Businesses that operate these vehicles are required to have business insurance.

Can you rent a self-driving car?

You can rent an electric vehicle with an autopilot feature, which is delivered to you remotely via a service called teledriving. During delivery, a human operator remotely controls the car. Once your rental period ends, the teledriver can retake control to return the vehicle to its base. This service is currently available only in some areas 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, the District of Columbia, California, and Utah.

Are self-driving cars legal?

Yes, self-driving cars are legal in Nevada.

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

Accidents: Who is liable?

There are always disputes concerning liability and responsibility.

Currently, in a motor vehicle accident, most liability lies with the driver who committed the traffic infraction and caused the 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).

It's important to remember that a self-driving vehicle is not always at fault. There are several scenarios where the other party may be responsible for the collision:

Negligent drivers: The other driver could be at fault if they were driving recklessly or violating traffic laws.
Pedestrian error: Pedestrians who disobey traffic rules or act carelessly could cause an accident.
Malicious interference: Human actions such as vandalizing or purposely confusing the self-driving vehicle can lead to a collision.

Experts predict fewer car accidents with self-driving cars in the future, but accident compensation could be higher due to the increased cost of repairing and replacing autonomous vehicles.

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?

Accident video recording - black box

Today, a built-in video recorder in any taxi videotapes the last 10 seconds before an accident. Similarly, self-driving cars are equipped with recording devices, often called 'black boxes,' to help determine liability in the event of a crash.

Regulations on self-driving cars

On June 17, 2011, the Nevada State Legislature approved Assembly Bill 511 (AB511), which authorized autonomous vehicles on Nevada highways and granted the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) regulatory authority. This made Nevada the first state in the U.S. to allow testing and operation of autonomous vehicles 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 the testing and operating of fully autonomous vehicles on highways in Nevada.

On January 1, 2024, the Nevada State Senate approved Bill 422 (SB422), allowing food delivery robots on college campuses to run on sidewalks and crosswalks.

In 2025, Nevada lawmakers introduced Senate Bill 395 (SB395) to impose stricter controls on the operation of fully autonomous commercial vehicles, such as trucks and buses, on public highways. The legislature is currently considering this Bill.

More laws and 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.

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

As autonomous vehicles become more common, laws will have to evolve too—both by adding new rules and updating the ones already in place. However, numerous questions remain:

a) How will the police enforce traffic laws? Traffic tickets and DUI arrests may eventually become obsolete—what will replace them?

b) How will self-driving cars communicate with pedestrians? Will LED displays, light projections, or audible pre-recorded messages be sufficient?

c) How will self-driving cars perform at night or in challenging weather conditions, such as high winds, fog, wildfire smoke, direct sunlight, extreme heat like in Las Vegas, or sandstorms?

d) Predicting other drivers' behavior and creating safe fallback procedures for self-driving vehicles remains a major challenge. Will pedestrian airbags and remote operators assisting in emergencies be enough?

e) Will vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication be necessary for self-driving cars to share data like location, speed, and direction in emergencies? What laws will govern this data exchange?

Right now, there are more questions than answers, but most of these issues will likely be addressed within 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 Dec. 28, 2025.

Heshmati & Associates

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