1. A driverless-capable vehicle may operate on the public highways of this state without a conventional human driver physically present in the vehicle, if the vehicle meets all of the following conditions:

 a. The vehicle is capable of achieving a minimal risk condition if a malfunction of the automated driving system occurs that renders the system unable to perform the entire dynamic driving task within the system’s intended operational design domain, if any.
 b. While in driverless operation, the vehicle is capable of operating in compliance with the applicable traffic and motor vehicle safety laws and regulations of this state that govern the performance of the dynamic driving task, unless an exemption has been granted to the vehicle by the department.
 c. The vehicle has been certified by the vehicle’s manufacturer to be in compliance with all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards, except to the extent an exemption has been granted for the vehicle under applicable federal law or by the national highway traffic safety administration.

Terms Used In Iowa Code 321.515

  • Condition: means a general problem that may be attributable to a defect in more than one part. See Iowa Code 322G.2
  • Department: means the state department of transportation. See Iowa Code 321H.2
  • Driver: means a person who operates a motor vehicle for the transportation of railroad workers in the motor vehicle on behalf of a railroad worker transportation company, whether the person is employed by the company for wages or drives for the company as an independent contractor. See Iowa Code 327F.39
  • following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute mean the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • highway: means the entire width between property lines of every way or place of whatever nature when any part thereof is open to the use of the public, as a matter of right, for purposes of vehicular travel, except in public areas in which the boundary shall be thirty-three feet each side of the center line of the roadway. See Iowa Code 321I.1
  • Manufacturer: means a person engaged in the business of constructing or assembling all-terrain vehicles required to be registered under this chapter and who has an established place of business for that purpose in this state. See Iowa Code 321I.1
  • Motor vehicle: means a self-propelled vehicle purchased or leased in this state, except as provided in section 322G. See Iowa Code 322G.2
  • Operate: means to ride in or on, other than as a passenger, use, or control the operation of an all-terrain vehicle in any manner, whether or not the all-terrain vehicle is moving. See Iowa Code 321I.1
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the said district and territories. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Vehicle: means any vehicle as defined in chapter 321. See Iowa Code 321H.2
 2. a. The operation of a system-equipped vehicle capable of performing the entire dynamic driving task within the automated driving system’s operational design domain on the public highways of this state while a conventional human driver is present in the vehicle shall be lawful. During such operation, the conventional human driver shall possess a valid driver’s license pursuant to section 321.174 and shall be subject to the financial liability coverage requirements and penalties set forth under section 321.20B. The conventional human driver shall operate the system-equipped vehicle according to the manufacturer’s requirements and specifications, and shall regain manual control of the vehicle when prompted by the automated driving system.

 b. An automated driving system, while engaged, shall be designed to operate within the system’s operational design domain in compliance with the applicable traffic and motor vehicle safety laws and regulations of this state that govern the performance of the dynamic driving task, unless an exemption has been granted to the vehicle by the department.
 3. Except as provided in this section, the motor vehicle laws of this state shall not be construed to require a conventional human driver to operate a driverless-capable vehicle that is being operated by an automated driving system. The automated driving system, while engaged, shall be deemed to fulfill any physical acts required of a conventional human driver to perform the dynamic driving task.
  Previous section
Next section  
 Chapter 321 Contents