China draws up safety rules for autonomous vehicles

China has introduced new safety regulations for autonomous vehicles, set to take effect from July 1, 2027. These guidelines, announced by the government on August 1, 2024, include a mandatory deactivation override and ensure that autonomous systems match the safety standards of human drivers.

The rules apply to both vehicles that require a human backup driver and those that operate independently, such as Waymo's robotaxis. Manufacturers must ensure that autonomous systems can match human driver safety levels, while buyers need to be informed of any limitations of the autonomous systems. The regulations standardize human-machine interactions to prevent misuse or abuse, aiming to mitigate risks that could arise from such systems.

These standards require that autonomous vehicles have safe procedures for activating and deactivating automated driving. In vehicles with a human backup driver, the autonomous system must monitor the driver's readiness to take over. Beijing has vowed to enforce these safety rules more rigorously following a fatal crash in 2025 involving a Xiaomi car in assisted driving mode. This move comes after the United Nations adopted global regulations for fully autonomous vehicles in June, a move China backed.