Assisted Driving Takes the Wheel: China's Regulatory Shift Redefines the Road Ahead
By Team Dailyrevs May 6, 2025
Regulatory Shift: China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology banned the use of "smart" and "autonomous" driving words in car ads and requires certification for software upgrades to driving skills.
Auto Industry Response: Car makers like Xiaomi, BYD, Nio, and XPeng are rebranding their technologies with emphasis on assisted driving and alignment with new rules.
TechNodeSafety Orientation: MIIT is accelerating the process of developing national standards on autonomous driving technology in order to guarantee safety and clear communication about the capability of systems.
China's Crackdown on Autonomous Driving Regulation
In the wake of Xiaomi's SU7 sedan fatal crash, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has become more alert to autonomous driving technology. The incident, whereby the car crashed the moment the driver regained control from the Advanced Driver-Assistance System (ADAS), has caused tension among the safety and innovation of such technology
Thus, the MIIT banned carmakers from describing vehicles that are installed with driving assistance features with terms such as "smart driving" and "autonomous driving." Additionally, over-the-air driving feature software updates must first get regulatory approval before they can be deployed
Reuters.
Chinese automakers are renaming their technologies after the new regulations were introduced. Xiaomi, for example, renamed its "Navigation on Autopilot" to "Xiaomi Assisted Driving Pro," highlighting the requirement for driver interaction
Similarly, brands like BYD, Nio, XPeng, and Li Auto changed their marketing strategy to Level 2 (L2) driver-assisted driving systems with ongoing driver attention Salesmen currently concentrate on factors like ride comfort and infotainment capabilities as compared to autonomous driving
Emphasis should be placed on Safety and Standardization.
The regulations also place extra focus on security and standardization in the autonomous driving technology designs. The work to make simulation tests, autonomous driving design operating conditions, as well as automatic parking, into mandatory national standards is also aimed at being completed faster by the ministry.
These actions are directed towards enhancing safety in driver-assistance products while making the automobile manufacturers provide transparent information about their systems' abilities and limitations.
Industry-Wide Impact and Future
The regulator crackdown has prompted automakers to rethink their approach and emphasize transparency and safety. At the recent Shanghai Auto Show, Huawei and XPeng emphasized the importance of driver focus and careful promotion. Huawei's Yu Chengdong again reaffirmed that drivers must remain vigilant, while XPeng's He Xiaopeng has changed terminology from "autonomous driving" to "intelligent assisted driving"
While China will still lead the take-up of electric vehicles and advanced driver-assistance systems, safety and regulation awareness will be the forces driving the future automotive sector. Automakers will need to come up with means of complying without stifling innovation and at the expense of consumer safety due to technological advancements.
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