An ADS-operated vehicle may drive or operate on streets and highways in this state with the ADS engaged without a human driver physically present in the vehicle if the vehicle meets the following conditions:

(1) Unless an exemption has been granted under applicable federal or state law, the vehicle is capable of being operated in compliance with applicable provisions of chapters 8, 9, and 10 of this title, and has been, at the time it was manufactured, certified by the manufacturer as being in compliance with applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards;
lawyer at desk

Ask a traffic law question, get an answer ASAP!
Thousands of highly rated, verified traffic lawyers.
Parking violations, accidents, DUI/DWI, licensing, registration, and more
Protect your vehicle and your rights with expert legal help now
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

Terms Used In Tennessee Code 55-30-103

  • ADS: means technology installed on a motor vehicle that has the capability to drive the vehicle on which the technology is installed in high or full automation mode, without any supervision by a human operator, with specific driving mode performance by the automated driving system of all aspects of the dynamic driving task that can be managed by a human driver, including the ability to automatically bring the motor vehicle into a minimal risk condition in the event of a critical vehicle or system failure or other emergency event. See Tennessee Code 55-30-102
  • ADS-operated vehicle: means a vehicle equipped with an automated driving system. See Tennessee Code 55-30-102
  • Driver: means :
    (A) For purposes of a conventionally operated vehicle, every person who drives or is in actual physical control of a vehicle. See Tennessee Code 55-8-101
  • Dynamic driving task: means all of the real-time operational and tactical functions required to operate a vehicle in on-road traffic. See Tennessee Code 55-30-102
  • Manufacturer: means every person engaged in the business of constructing or assembling vehicles of a type required to be registered at an established place of business in this state. See Tennessee Code 55-8-101
  • Minimal risk condition: means a low-risk operating mode in which an ADS-operated vehicle when the ADS is engaged achieves a reasonably safe state upon experiencing a failure of the vehicle's ADS that renders the vehicle unable to perform the entire dynamic driving task. See Tennessee Code 55-30-102
  • Property: includes both personal and real property. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Vehicle: means every device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway, excepting devices used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks. See Tennessee Code 55-8-101
(2) The vehicle is capable, in the event of a failure of the automated driving system that renders that system unable to perform the entire dynamic driving task relevant to its intended operational design domain, of achieving a minimal risk condition;
(3) Is registered in accordance with chapter 4 of this title, and if registered in this state, the vehicle is identified on the registration as an ADS-operated vehicle; and
(4)

(A)

(i)[Effective until July 1, 2021.] The vehicle is covered by primary automobile liability insurance in at least five million dollars ($5,000,000) per incident for death, bodily injury, and property damage, and the automobile liability insurance satisfies the requirements of § 56-7-1201;
(ii) Insurance required by subdivision (4)(A)(i) may be:

(a) Placed with an insurer authorized to do business in this state under title 56 or with a surplus lines insurer eligible under title 56, chapter 14;
(b) Covered by a surety bond executed and filed with the commissioner of safety; or
(c) Satisfied in accordance with § 55-12-111;
(iii) Insurance satisfying the requirements of this subdivision (4)(A) shall be deemed to satisfy the financial responsibility requirements for a motor vehicle under chapter 12 of this title;
(B) This subdivision (4) is deleted on July 1, 2021;
(C) No later than February 1, 2020, the commissioners of safety and commerce and insurance shall submit a joint report to the transportation and safety committee of the senate and the transportation committee of the house of representatives, which report shall make recommendations, including the appropriate rationale and any proposed legislation, on whether the insurance and bonding coverages and coverage amount requirements of this subdivision (4)(A) should be increased, decreased, extended, or otherwise amended.
  Previous section
Next section  
 Chapter 30 Contents