The continent’s largest auto show opens in Shanghai this month, and a recent fatal accident in China involving the use of self-driving technology has prompted regulators to tighten rules on how active driver assistance technologies can be marketed.
Image source: Lixiang
First of all, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) of China has informed about 60 industry representatives about new requirements for mentioning active driver assistance technologies in marketing materials. Developers and automakers are prohibited from using the phrases “automated driving,” “autonomous driving,” “smart driving,” or “advanced smart driving” in their advertising. Instead, they are required to mention the SAE level of active driver assistance. For example, the most common active driver assistance level in the Chinese market corresponds to level L2, and there are five of them, including level 0.
Secondly, car manufacturers are prohibited from involving ordinary users in beta testing programs for their control software. All testing must be carried out with the participation of test specialists, and the distribution of new versions of the software will be carried out strictly upon request to official bodies and after their approval. In other words, now over-the-air control software updates for Chinese cars will be released much less frequently.
Functions that require the absence of a driver in the car will also be banned from distribution on the Chinese market. For example, you will have to say goodbye to automatic parking or calling a car from a parking lot to a remote owner. In addition, stricter requirements are being introduced to ensure that the driver holds the steering wheel while the car is moving. If he does not hold the steering wheel for more than 60 seconds, the automation must take measures to slow down the vehicle and bring it to a complete, controlled stop, turning on the hazard warning lights if necessary.
At the same time, the Chinese authorities have tightened fire safety requirements for traction batteries of electric vehicles, which, together with new restrictions on the promotion of autopilots on the market, will create additional regulatory pressure on market participants. Experts believe that these measures will accelerate the consolidation of the Chinese automobile market, which currently demonstrates an excess of new companies and the highest competition.