China issues mandatory safety requirements for autonomous vehicles

China has issued mandatory safety requirements for vehicles equipped with conditional or highly automated driving systems, the country's industry ministry said on Tuesday.

Under the new rules, set to take effect on July 1, 2027, an automated driving system must achieve a level of safety at least equivalent to that of a qualified and attentive human driver performing the driving task. The system must also not pose unreasonable safety risks to vehicle occupants or other road users, according to a ministry statement.

The standard excludes automated parking systems and applies to vehicles equipped with Level 3 and Level 4 automated driving systems. Level 3 systems require a human driver to remain available to take over when requested, while Level 4 systems can perform all driving tasks without human intervention within specified operating conditions or designated areas.

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