China is slowing plans to mass-produce and sell more advanced self-driving cars after a fatal crash involving driver-assisted technology.
Chinese regulators have reportedly approved only two of nine proposals submitted by manufacturers seeking permission to sell more advanced self-driving cars, a sign that China is easing its push to commercialize higher levels of vehicle automation.
Analysts have linked the regulator’s tough stance to the horror crash of a Xiaomi SU7 electric car in March that killed three university students.
The vehicle’s assisted driving system was activated when the vehicle detected a lane closure due to road construction at approximately 72 miles per hour. It sounded an audible warning and the driver took control of the vehicle, but about a second later the vehicle hit a concrete barrier.
Last week, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology approved two companies to operate so-called Level 3 autonomous vehicles. Level 3 systems can handle driving tasks under certain conditions without requiring the driver to put their hands on the wheel, but still require a human to be ready to take control. Although severely restricted, they are already operational in some US states.
But approvals given to BAIC Group and Changan Automobile were very limited. The companies will only be allowed to operate robotaxis on three designated highway sections in Beijing and Chongqing, where the companies are based, according to Chinese media reports. Even then, the license is limited to further testing, not full commercial deployment.
Under the regulations, vehicles are not allowed to change lanes under computer control and a human driver must take over once a car leaves an approved highway section. Outside these restricted areas, the system cannot operate autonomously.
The narrow scope of approval is a setback for Chinese automakers, which had expected regulators to approve sales of Level 3 systems by the end of the year.
China currently operates only a Level 2 system, which assists steering and speed but requires the driver’s full attention at all times. Level 5 stands for fully autonomous driving without human intervention – no Level 5 vehicles are currently approved for public use anywhere in the world.
according to new york timesSeveral Chinese automakers have begun mass production of vehicles equipped with the cameras, sensors and computing hardware required for Level 3 systems and await regulatory approval. These vehicles are now expected to be sold with downgraded Level 2 software.
After the accident in March, Chinese authorities banned automakers from using marketing terms such as “intelligent driving” or “autonomous driving” for vehicles equipped only with assisted driving systems, fearing that consumers might be misled about the technology’s capabilities.
Chinese state media reported that some domestically produced driver assistance systems lag behind competitors in terms of safety performance, raising public concern. In a set of tests involving 36 vehicles equipped with Level 2 systems, less than half were able to successfully avoid a collision when approaching trucks at a construction site at night, the report said.
In contrast, two Tesla vehicles participating in the same test reportedly performed well in a variety of scenarios.
China is seen as one of the most ambitious markets for self-driving technology, with the government giving strong support to electric vehicles and artificial intelligence. The country’s passenger car autonomous driving market is expected to grow from approximately US$9.85 billion in 2024 to US$15.3 billion in 2030.
