A technician supervises a Changan L3 autonomous driving vehicle during a road test in Chongqing on Dec 24, 2025. HE PENGLEI/CHINA NEWS SERVICE
China has released a mandatory national standard regarding safety requirements for autonomous driving systems, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said on Tuesday.
The standard is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2027. It applies to M and N-category vehicles equipped with Level 3 and Level 4 autonomous driving systems, but does not cover automated parking systems, the MIIT said.
The standard requires vehicle manufacturers to improve safety assurance mechanisms throughout the product life cycle and carry out simulation, field and road tests during the development and verification of autonomous driving systems, according to the MIIT.
It also calls for stronger capabilities in performing dynamic driving tasks, while specifying requirements for human-machine interaction and user notification to prevent misuse and abuse. For Level 3 systems, vehicles must be able to monitor drivers' readiness to take over control.
