North Carolina General Statutes 20-121.2. Operation of a neighborhood occupantless vehicle on certain roadways; regulations; equipment requirements
(a) Authorization. – A neighborhood occupantless vehicle may operate on streets and highways with the following restrictions:
(1) A neighborhood occupantless vehicle may be operated only on streets and highways where the posted speed limit is 45 miles per hour or less.
Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes 20-121.2
- following: when used by way of reference to any section of a statute, shall be construed to mean the section next preceding or next following that in which such reference is made; unless when some other section is expressly designated in such reference. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
- state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories, so called; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the said district and territories and all dependencies. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
(2) A neighborhood occupantless vehicle must be operated in the right-hand travel lane or as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the street or highway, except when preparing for a left turn.
(3) On a highway with two travel lanes, a neighborhood occupantless vehicle must turn off the roadway to a controlled stop as soon as practicable and when it is safe to do so to allow faster moving vehicles to pass when passing is unsafe because of traffic in the opposite direction or other conditions and there are five or more vehicles immediately behind the neighborhood occupantless vehicle.
(b) Equipment Exemptions. – A fully autonomous vehicle that is designed to be operated exclusively and at all times by an automated driving system shall not be subject to any State law or regulation requiring the installation, maintenance, or inspection of vehicle equipment that relates to or supports motor vehicle operation by a human driver, but is not necessary for operation by an automated driving system alone. “Automated driving system” is defined in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-400 (2021-179, s. 2.)