Definitions

As used in these rules the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following definitions apply: A. Definitions beginning with “A”: (1) “Active safety system” means the vehicle systems that sense and monitor conditions inside and outside the vehicle for the purpose of identifying perceived present and potential dangers to the vehicle, occupants, and other road users, and automatically intervene to help avoid or mitigate potential collisions via various methods, including alerts to the driver, vehicle system adjustments, and active control of the vehicle subsystems (brakes, throttle, suspension, etc.). (2) “Automated driving system” or “ADS” means the hardware and software that are collectively capable of performing the entire dynamic driving task on a sustained basis, regardless of whether it is limited to a specific operational design domain; "automated driving system" is used specifically to describe a level three, four or five driving automation system as defined in Society of Automotive Engineers Standard J3016, as published in the Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to Driving Automation Systems for On-Road Motor Vehicles. (3) “Autonomous commercial motor vehicle” means a commercial motor vehicle, as defined in Subsection J of Section 66-1-4.3 NMSA 1978, that is equipped with and may be controlled by an automated driving system. (4) “Autonomous motor vehicle” means a motor vehicle that is equipped with and may be controlled by an automated driving system and includes an autonomous commercial motor vehicle. (5) “Autonomous motor vehicle operator” means the person who engages the automated driving system of an autonomous motor vehicle or autonomous commercial motor vehicle. (6) “Autonomous motor vehicle tester” or “tester” means the entity who is testing autonomous motor vehicles on New Mexico public roadways. (7) “Autonomous motor vehicle testing” or “autonomous commercial motor vehicle testing” means activities taken in full or in part to evaluate and assess: (a) the automated driving system's performance of the dynamic driving task; and (b) the automated driving system's performance with respect to applicable safety areas as defined by the federal national highway traffic safety administration for autonomous motor vehicle operations. B. Definitions beginning with “B” [RESERVED] C. “Commission” means the New Mexico state transportation commission. 18.24.1 NMAC 2 D. Definitions beginning with “D”: (1) “Department” means the New Mexico department of transportation. (2) “Department secretary” means the cabinet secretary of the New Mexico department of transportation or his designated representative. (3) “Driving automation” means the performance of part of all of the dynamic driving task by hardware or software on a sustained basis. (4) “Dynamic driving task” as defined in Society of Automotive Engineers Standard (SAE) J3016 all of the real-time operational and tactical functions required to operate a vehicle in on-road traffic, excluding the strategic functions such as trip scheduling and selection of destinations and waypoints, and including without limitation: (a) lateral vehicle motion control via steering; (b) longitudinal vehicle motion control via acceleration and deceleration; (c) monitoring the driving environment via object and event detection, recognition, classification, and response preparation; (d) object and event response execution; (e) maneuver planning; and (f) enhancing conspicuity via elements including but not limited to lighting, signaling, and gesturing. (5) “Dynamic driving task fallback” means the response by the user or by an automated driving system to either perform the dynamic driving task or achieve a minimal risk condition after occurrence of a dynamic driving task performance-relevant system failure(s) or upon exit of the automated driving system’s operational design domain. E. Definitions beginning with “E” [RESERVED] F. Definitions beginning with “F”: (1) “Fallback-ready user” means the user of a vehicle equipped with an engaged level 3 automated driving feature who is able to operate the vehicle and is receptive to automated driving system-issued requests to intervene and to evident dynamic driving task performance-relevant system failures in the vehicle compelling him or her to perform the dynamic driving task fallback. (2) “Federal motor vehicle safety standards” or “FMVSS” means a motor vehicle safety standard, as defined in 49 U.S.C Section 30102, issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (3) “Fully autonomous motor vehicle” means an autonomous motor vehicle that is equipped with an automated driving system designed to function as a level 4 or level 5 system under SAE J3016 and that may be designed to function either: (a) solely by use of the automated driving system; (b) by a human driver when the automated driving system is not engaged. G. Definitions beginning with “G” [RESERVED] H. Definitions beginning with “H” [RESERVED] I. Definitions beginning with “I” [RESERVED] J. Definitions beginning with “J” [RESERVED] K. Definitions beginning with “K” [RESERVED] L. “Levels of driving automation” means the functionality of an automated driving system and allocation of roles between a human user (if any) and the driving automation system in performing the dynamic driving task and fallback. Levels of driving automation is categorized into six levels by the SAE in Standard J3016, Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to Driving Automation Systems for On-Road Motor Vehicles. The six levels include: (1) Level 0 means ‘no driving automation’ in that the performance by the driver of the entire dynamic driving task even when enhanced by active safety systems. (2) Level 1 means ‘driver assistance’ in that the sustained and operational design domain- specific execution by a driving automation system of either the lateral or the longitudinal vehicle motion control subtask of the dynamic driving task (but not both simultaneously) with the expectation that the driver performs remainder of the dynamic driving task. (3) Level 2 means ‘partial driving automation’ in that the sustained and operational design domain-specific execution by a driving automation system of both the lateral and longitudinal vehicle motion control subtasks of the dynamic driving task with the expectation that the driver completes the object event detection and response subtask and supervises the driving automation system. (4) Level 3 means ‘conditional driving automation’ in that the sustained and operational 18.24.1 NMAC 3 design domain-specific performance by an automated driving system of the entire dynamic driving task with the expectation that the dynamic driving task fallback-ready user is receptive to automated driving system-issued requests to intervene, as well as to dynamic driving task performance-relevant system failures in other vehicle systems and will respond appropriately. (5) Level 4 means ‘high driving automation’ in that the sustained and operational design domain-specific performance by an automated driving system of the entire dynamic driving task and dynamic driving task fallback without any expectation that a user will respond to a request to intervene. (6) Level 5 means ‘full driving automation’ in that the sustained and unconditional (i.e., not operational design domain-specific) performance by an automated driving system of the entire dynamic driving task and dynamic driving task fallback without any exception that a user will respond to a request to intervene. M. Definitions beginning with “M”: (1) “Minimal risk condition” means a stable, stopped condition to which a user or an automated driving system may bring a vehicle after performing the dynamic driving task fallback in order to reduce the risk of a crash when a given trip cannot or should not be completed. (2) “Monitor” means a general term referencing a range of functions involving real-time human or machine sensing and processing of data used to operate a vehicle, or to support its operation. (3) “Monitor automated driving system performance” means the activities and automated routines for evaluating whether the driving automation system is performing part or all of the dynamic driving task appropriately. (4) “Monitor the driving environment” means the activities and automated routines that accomplish real-time roadway environmental object and event detection, recognition, classification, and response preparation (excluding actual response), as needed to operate a vehicle. (5) “Monitor vehicle performance” means the activities and automated routines that accomplish real-time evaluation of the vehicle performance, and response preparation, as needed to operate a vehicle. N. Definitions beginning with “N”: (1) “National highway traffic safety administration” or “NHTSA” means the operating administration of the United States department of transportation that is delegated the responsibilities described in 49 CFR Section 1.94. (2) “NMDOT program administrator” means that person assigned by the NMDOT to oversee and coordinate the autonomous motor vehicle testing program and when applicable the program manager’s activity. (3) “Notification” means the act of providing required information. (4) “Notification receipt” means formal acknowledgment of having received a notification. O. Definitions beginning with “O”: (1) “Object and event detection and response” means the subtasks of the dynamic driving task that include monitoring the driving environment (detecting, recognizing, and classifying objects and events and preparing to respond as needed) and executing an appropriate response to such objects and events (i.e., as needed to complete the dynamic driving task and dynamic task fallback). (2) “Operate” means collectively, the activities performed by a (human) driver (with or without support from one or more level 1 or 2 driving automation features) or by an automated driving system (level 3-5) to perform the entire dynamic driving task for a given vehicle during a trip. (3) “Operational design domain” means the specific conditions under which a given driving automation system or feature thereof is designed to function, including, but not limited to, driving modes. (4) “Owner” means the holder of the legal title of a vehicle. P. “Program manager” or “contractor” means, when applicable, that person, firm, or organization selected by the NMDOT for the purpose of administering the autonomous motor vehicle testing program in New Mexico. Q. Definitions beginning with “Q” [RESERVED] R. “Request to intervene” means an alert provided by an automated driving system to a driver or fallback-ready user indicating that they should promptly perform the dynamic driving task fallback, resume manual operation of the vehicle, or achieve a minimal risk condition. S. Definitions beginning with “S”: (1) “SAE J3016” means the Society of Automotive Engineers current standard for the Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to Driving Automation Systems for On-Road Motor Vehicles. (2) “System failure” means a malfunction in an automated driving system and other vehicle 18.24.1 NMAC 4 system that prevents the automated driving system from reliably sustaining dynamic driving task performance (partial or complete). (3) “Sustained” (operation of a vehicle) means performance of part or all of the dynamic driving task both between and across external events, including responding to external events and continuing performance of part or all of the dynamic driving task in the absence of external events. T. “Trip” means the traversal of an entire travel pathway by a vehicle from the point of origin to a destination. U. Definitions beginning with “U”: (1) “Usage specification” means a particular level of driving automation within a particular operational design domain. (2) “User” means a general term referencing the human role in driving automation. (3) “User receptivity” means an aspect of consciousness characterized by a person’s ability to reliably and appropriately focus their attention in response to a stimulus. V. Definitions beginning with “V” [RESERVED] W. Definitions beginning with “W” [RESERVED] X. Definitions beginning with “X” [RESERVED] Y. Definitions beginning with “Y” [RESERVED] Z. Definitions beginning with “Z” [RESERVED]