The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) has selected industry thought leader CH2M to develop a concise vision and a collaborative policy framework for continuing autonomous vehicle (AV) and connected vehicle (CV) initiatives in the state. Nevada has become a national leader in testing, licensing and authorizing autonomous vehicles on state roads. The Nevada Center for Advanced Mobility – established in early 2016 as an initiative between the Governor's Office of Economic Development, NDOT and the Department of Motor Vehicles – promotes Nevada as the nation's leader in the development and everyday use of vehicles that are self-driving. Supporting this objective, the state recently issued the first autonomous vehicle restricted driver's license in the U.S.

This initiative will establish cohesive policy, standards, legislation and innovations, that when coupled with the state's technologically-progressive political environment, will further establish Nevada as the pioneer for bringing innovation to reality.

Activities encompassed within the policy framework include:

• leveraging state infrastructure and real estate to further promote AV/CV testing and ultimate ubiquity in Nevada;
• promoting collaborative policies, standards and programs to showcase AV/CV innovations that expand economic growth and create jobs in Nevada;
• identifying, vetting and forming private sector partnerships where capabilities and offerings can be used to enhance AV/CV initiatives;
• identifying an "innovation incubator" between public and private sector partners that explores and nurtures new ideas and companies focused on AV/CV;
• expanding transportation innovation and connecting Nevada's residents through advanced mobility options;
• modernizing and improving freight mobility throughout Nevada and its neighboring states; and
• connecting Nevada through smart infrastructure and using transportation as the launching point for Smart Cities, Smart Regions and Smart States.

"The future is now for autonomous vehicle and connected vehicle technologies," said CH2M's Highways and Bridges Director Susan Martinovich. "We're honored to be helping the state of Nevada advance its position as an innovation leader, leveraging emerging technologies to drive economic development alongside the AV/CV benefits of saving lives through crash elimination, increasing travel time dependability, reducing the need for new infrastructure and improving energy efficiency."