Stricter safety regulations
China tightens rules for autonomous driving
The draft also requires a Data Storage System for Automated Driving, comparable to an aircraft flight recorder.
Waymo
China is tightening legal requirements for automated driving systems. New standards will oblige Level 3 systems to act more independently, including performing a defined safety manoeuvre.
China is increasing regulatory
pressure on automated driving functions. According to reports including
CarNewsChina, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has
published a draft of the country’s first mandatory safety standards for highly
automated driving systems.
The draft standards, released for public consultation in
mid-February, are scheduled to enter into force on 1 July 2027. They will
replace the previously voluntary 2024 standard and establish a binding
regulatory framework for Level 3 automated driving
systems.
Mandatory “minimal risk manoeuvre” raises autonomy
threshold
The draft regulation, titled “Intelligent
Connected Vehicles – Safety Requirements for Autonomous Driving
Systems”, significantly raises the bar for Level 3 systems.
In future, such systems must not only enable highly
automated driving but also independently execute a defined “minimal risk
manoeuvre” if the driver fails to respond to a takeover request.
This manoeuvre includes:
- Automated lane changes
- Bringing the vehicle to a safe stop
- Parking in a location that does not obstruct traffic
- Protecting passengers and other road users
Safety experts interpret these requirements as functionally
moving Level 3 systems closer to Level 4 autonomy, particularly regarding the
crucial question of how a vehicle reacts when human intervention is
unavailable.
Mandatory data recorder similar to a flight recorder
The draft also requires a Data Storage System for Automated
Driving (DSSAD), comparable to an aircraft flight recorder. The system must
comply with the national data recording standard in force since January 2026.
It must capture detailed operational data in order to reconstruct accident
scenarios.
The new regulation will fully replace the voluntary 2024
standard. For vehicles already approved, a transitional period of 13 months is provided.
After that deadline, non-compliant systems may no longer be produced, imported
or sold in China.
Regulatory tightening driven by global accidents
MIIT cites several serious international accidents involving
autonomous vehicles as justification for the stricter framework. These include
incidents linked to Waymo, Uber, Cruise and Toyota. In addition, a December
2025 accident in Zhuzhou is referenced, in which an autonomous Hello Robotaxi
struck a pedestrian who had fallen on a slippery road.
China Level 3 Autonomous Driving Regulation: Key Points
- Authority: Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT)
- Scope: Mandatory safety standard for Level 3 systems
- Entry into force: 1 July 2027
- Key requirement: Mandatory minimal risk manoeuvre
- Human fallback: System must act if driver fails to respond
- Data obligation: Compulsory DSSAD (vehicle data recorder)
- Transition period: 13 months for already approved vehicles
- Impact: Functional shift of Level 3 closer to Level 4 autonomy
- Compliance risk: Non-conforming systems banned from production, import and sale
The revised standards therefore reflect both domestic
and international safety concerns. China is signalling that scalability of
autonomous driving will depend on demonstrable system safety and enforceable
post-market accountability.
