The UK government has outlined a new set of rules for testing driverless cars on public roads. The Code of Practice—as published by the Department for Transport (DfT)—contains extensions to many of the same laws that govern traditional vehicles, including that all self-driving cars must have a human driver inside that can take over if needed, and that those drivers are insured, hold a valid UK driving licence, and obey all of the UK's normal road laws. Any test vehicles over three years old (which is admittedly highly unlikely at this point) must also hold a valid MOT.

From there, things get very specific to driverless cars. For starters, those cars must have undergone extensive testing on private roads before being allowed out into the wild. Drivers will also require "skills over and above those of drivers of conventional vehicles," including a high level of knowledge about the technology used, as well as extensive training into switching between conventional manual control and an automated mode.

Those drivers will also need to be "conscious of their appearance to other road users," and look like they're actually driving—even in automated mode—in order to not confuse other motorists. Talking on a phone, indulging in a cheeky beverage, or putting your feet up on the dash for an afternoon snooze is a no-no. The Code of Practice also suggests that highway authorities are alerted to testing zones, and that a specialised contact is set up with the local police and fire services.

Interestingly, cars are required to be fitted with a "data recording device," which can capture data from the various sensors and control systems used for automated driving, at "10Hz or more." This includes whether the vehicle is operating in manual or automated mode, its speed, steering and braking commands, operation of lights and indicators, the presence of other road users, and use of the horn. The data will need to be "securely stored," and be "provided to the relevant authorities upon request."

Despite that rather ominous sounding rule, any personal data that's processed—for example, the behaviour or location of individuals in the vehicle—will be protected under the 1998 Data Protection Act. That includes the requirement that personal data is used fairly and lawfully, kept securely, and for no longer than necessary. The regulations also state that cars will need to be mindful of "cyber security," and be protected against the risk of "unauthorised access" by hackers.

Currently, most of the UK's self-driving cars—including the Lutz pod and Meridian shuttle—are only being tested around parks and private facilities. DfT's Code of Practice means that more driverless vehicles will be able to hit UK streets, as promised by the government when it announced that trials would go ahead way back in July of 2014.