The Chinese government has approved two battery electric vehicle (BEV) models featuring Level-3 (L3) autonomous driving technologies to be driven on key designated public roads, the first models featuring “hands-off” driving technologies to be given this approval in the country. The decision is described as a major milestone, paving the way for more widespread deployment of next-generation intelligent and connected self-driving technologies in the world’s largest vehicle market.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
So far, the Chinese government has only allowed vehicles on public roads with up to L2 or L2+ self-driving capabilities, which require drivers to keep their hands on the steering wheel at all times. L3 autonomous technology allows for hands-off driving, in conditions such as on highways and in congested urban roads, but drivers are still required to remain fully alert in case they need to intervene.
The approval by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) is intended to help transition L3 autonomous driving technologies from the current testing stages to pilot road use on designated roads, in Chongqing and in Beijing, before wider public use is allowed.
The MIIT confirmed that the two models approved for production were developed by two state-owned automakers: Changan Automobile’s Deepal SL03 and BAIC Arcfox’s Alpha S. The models are said to be capable of driving autonomously on congested urban roads at a maximum speed of up to 50 km/h and on expressways autonomously at up to 80 km/h.
