For an idea of what self-driving car regulation should look like, take a look at elevators. An elevator is basically a simple AI that could easily kill people. So there are complex regulations as far as licensing, inspection, testing, repair, and safety requirements. For the most part, this system works and elevators don't kill people. And if they do, liability depends on who messed up. (Source: have an elevator and need to deal with the regulations.)

Obviously self-driving cars are much more complex, but elevators are an example of how existing dangerous autonomous systems are regulated and I expect self-driving cars would be similar.