China has drawn up new safety rules for autonomous vehicles as the number of such cars on the road grows, the government says. The rules include requirements for systems that allow a human to take control, including a mandatory deactivation override. The standards are scheduled to take effect on 1 July 2027 and are designed to cover multiple categories of autonomous vehicles.
According to the government, the framework applies to autonomous vehicles that require a human back-up driver as well as vehicles that operate more independently, such as robotaxis. The rules set out safety obligations intended for manufacturers and operators developing and deploying autonomous technology in China. The announcement comes as autonomous driving testing and deployment expands in multiple cities, including services that use driverless or lightly supervised vehicle operations.
The new standards focus on safety mechanisms and operational requirements that ensure human control can be restored or enforced when needed, while also addressing the expectations for more autonomous modes of operation.
