China is considering new safety regulations for driving assistance systems as their use rises among automakers.

A draft proposal was posted on the national standards database, led by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

The rules are open for public comment until July 4, with input from Dongfeng Motor and Huawei.

The move comes amid growing safety concerns and fierce competition in the world’s largest auto market.

In March, a fatal crash involving Xiaomi’s SU7 sedan raised alarm after the driver disengaged the ADAS before hitting a pole at 97 kph, causing a fire.

In April, regulators banned terms like “smart driving” and “autonomous driving” in ads to prevent misleading claims. Xiaomi said it will fully cooperate with the investigation.

🔗 Source: Reuters

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ China’s ADAS regulation follows a pattern of proactive technological governance

China’s move to regulate driving assistance systems continues its approach of establishing regulatory frameworks for emerging technologies earlier in their adoption cycle.

This pattern began with electric vehicles, where the government’s support was formalized in the ninth Five-Year Plan and continued with the 863 EV Project in 2001, which aimed to develop pure EVs, hybrids, and fuel cell vehicles1.

Similarly, with emissions standards, China implemented the stringent China 6 standard covering over 70% of the national market by April 2020, with the Ministry of Ecology and Environment overseeing nationwide implementation2.

The driving assistance regulation arrives amid the emergence of Chinese companies like Baidu in autonomous vehicles, as local firms narrow the capability gap with multinational enterprises in these technologies3.

This regulatory approach mirrors China’s established vehicle safety framework, where comprehensive testing and oversight systems have been implemented to address the country’s significant road safety challenges. An estimated 250,000 fatalities occur annually due to road accidents4.

2️⃣ Safety concerns triggered regulatory action following industry’s aggressive marketing

The proposed safety requirements come directly after a period of intensified marketing of ADAS features amid fierce competition in China’s automotive market.