Part 1: Regulatory scheme for automated vehicles Chapter 1: Authorisation of road vehicles for automated use Section 5: Authorisation requirements and conditions
Authorisation is the process by which the Secretary of State authorises a self-driving vehicle for use in specified operating domains if the vehicle satisfies the self-driving test and if other relevant authorisation requirements have been met (see section 3 Power to authorise). Each vehicle must have an ASDE (which is legally responsible for the way an authorised automated vehicle drives) and must meet other regulatory obligations.
	This section gives the Secretary of State the power to establish ‘authorisation requirements’ through regulations. Subsection (1) further sets out two types of authorisation requirement:
Initial authorisation requirements – which must be met before a vehicle can be authorised, and
On-going authorisation requirements – which must be met on an ongoing basis in order for a vehicle to remain authorised.
	Subsection (2) explains that ongoing authorisation requirements may include a requirement to comply with ‘authorisation conditions’, which are conditions that the Secretary of State may attach to an individual authorisation. Subsection (3) clarifies that authorisation conditions set by the Secretary of State can include anything that could have been in an authorisation requirement made by regulations.
	Subsection (4) sets out the inter-relationship between authorisation requirements and authorisation conditions. Both requirements and conditions are enforceable in the same way under Part 1 of the Act.
	Although authorisation requirements are made by regulation, the regulator has the power to set additional authorisation conditions according to the use case and deployment type. Authorisation conditions are specific to an individual authorisation – which means an individual vehicle, group of vehicles or type of vehicle (see section 3 Power to authorise). This allows authorisation requirements and conditions to be tailored – for example, to specific vehicle features and/or specific deployment locations. This enables a flexible approach to the regulation as this technology develops.