This section defines several autonomous-vehicle terms used in the chapter.
For purposes of this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) ADS-EQUIPPED VEHICLE. A vehicle equipped with an automated driving system. (2) AUTOMATED DRIVING SYSTEM or ADS. 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. (3) CONVENTIONAL HUMAN DRIVER. An individual, licensed or otherwise permitted by law to operate a vehicle, who manually exercises in-vehicle braking, accelerating, steering, and transmission gear selection input devices in order to operate a vehicle. (4) DYNAMIC DRIVING TASK or DDT. 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, including, but not limited to: 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. f. Enhancing conspicuity via lighting, signaling, and gesturing. (5) FULLY AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE. A motor vehicle equipped with an automated driving system designed to function without a human driver as a Level 4 or Level 5 automation system under the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Standard J3016. (6) MINIMAL RISK CONDITION. A stable, stopped condition to which a user or an automated driving system may bring a vehicle after performing the DDT fallback in order to reduce the risk of a crash when a given trip cannot or should not be continued. (7) ON-DEMAND AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE NETWORK. A transportation service or network that uses a software application or other digital means to dispatch or otherwise enable the prearrangement of transportation with ADS-equipped vehicles for purposes of transporting passengers or goods, including for-hire transportation and transportation of passengers or goods for compensation. (8) OPERATIONAL DESIGN DOMAIN or ODD. Operating conditions under which a given ADS or feature thereof is specifically designed to function, including, but not limited to, environmental, geographical, and time-of-day restrictions, and the requisite presence or absence of certain traffic or roadway characteristics.