Section 82 — Power to grant permits

(1) The appropriate national authority may grant a person a permit for the provision by the person of automated passenger services.

(2) An “automated passenger service” is a service that consists of the carrying of passengers in a road vehicle that—

(a) is designed or adapted to travel autonomously, or

(b) is being used for a trial with the aim of developing vehicles that are so designed or adapted.

(3) A permit may be granted for either or both of the following purposes—

(a) securing the application of section 83 (disapplication of taxi, private hire vehicle and bus legislation);

(b) satisfying a requirement imposed by regulations under section 12 (licensing of no-user-in-charge operators) in relation to the holding of a permit.

(4) A permit must specify—

(a) the areas in which services may be provided under the permit,

(b) the vehicles (or descriptions of vehicle) in which services may be provided under the permit,

(c) the period for which the permit is valid, and

(d) any conditions subject to which the permit is granted (“permit conditions”).

(5) Permit conditions may take the form of—

(a) further limitations on the services that may be provided under the permit, or

(b) obligations that the permit holder has to fulfil as a condition of holding the permit.

(6) In subsection (2)(a), “travel autonomously” has the same meaning as in Part 1 (see section 1(5)).