China is moving forward with a second round of pilot approvals for Level 3 autonomous driving vehicles. Guo Shougang, an official from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, confirmed that the process is currently underway. The authorities have not yet disclosed the names of the participating automakers or the specific vehicle models involved in this new batch.
The first conditional permits for Level 3 systems were issued in December 2025 to Changan Automobile and BAIC Group. The approved models included the Changan Deepal SL03 and the BAIC Arcfox Alpha S. These vehicles are authorized for single-lane autonomous driving on specific routes in Chongqing and Beijing, respectively, subject to strict speed and operational limitations.
The government is simultaneously developing new safety regulations for intelligent connected vehicles. A national standard for autonomous driving systems, covering Level 3 and Level 4, was announced in August and is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2027. This standard mandates that systems must match the performance of an attentive human driver.
Additionally, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has proposed new standards for automotive exterior lighting. The draft, released for public consultation on October 20, suggests allowing turquoise indicator lights for vehicles with Level 3 or higher autonomous systems. If adopted, these regulations are expected to become effective on January 1, 2028.
