Part 1: Regulatory scheme for automated vehicles Chapter 1: Authorisation of road vehicles for automated use Section 7: Transition demands
A self-driving vehicle that can only drive itself for part of a journey will need an individual to drive the vehicle for the remainder of the journey. In these circumstances, the driver becomes a ‘user-in-charge’ when the vehicle is driving itself (see section 46 (Meaning of "user-in-charge")). When a vehicle that is driving itself needs to transfer control back to a user-in-charge it must do so safely and must issue a ‘transition demand’, which is a time-bound request for the user-in-charge to take control of the vehicle.
	Section 7 requires the Secretary of State to impose authorisation requirements on any vehicle that issues a transition demand in order to ensure that the transition demand is safe. Subsection (2) describes a transition demand and the ‘the transition period’, which is the time within which a user-in-charge should retake control of the vehicle. Subsection (3) is self-explanatory.
	Further provisions in respect of the immunity granted to a user-in-charge are made in sections 46 to 52.  The user-in-charge does not have immunity from an offence if the act constituting the offence takes place after a transition demand has been issued in accordance with authorisation requirements, and the transition period has ended (see further section 48 (Exceptions from immunity), and in particular section 48(1)).  Section 7(3)(d) requires the Secretary of State to impose authorisation requirements ensuring that the vehicle makes a communication at the end of the transition period, alerting the user-in-charge that the period is ending. This will alert the user-in-charge when the immunity is about to cease.