Four Chinese government departments, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Public Security, held a meeting with over 30 major automakers. The discussion focused on strengthening the management of product innovation, design, and R&D testing verification.
The initiative is part of a one-year special campaign launched on August 27, 2026, aimed at improving production consistency and quality for road motor vehicles. The campaign targets issues related to production consistency, reliability, durability, and the testing of new technologies.
Regulators mandated that companies must accurately disclose the limitations and operating boundaries of their technologies. Automakers are prohibited from using misleading marketing, exaggerating capabilities, or promoting features in ways that violate traffic laws or encourage drivers to ignore safety responsibilities.
The government also highlighted the mandatory national standard GB 47955—2026, titled 'Safety Requirements for Intelligent Connected Vehicle Combined Driving Assistance Systems,' which will take effect on January 1, 2027. This standard establishes safety baselines for driving assistance systems.
Authorities reiterated that marketing must align with the national standard GB/T 40429—2021, which classifies driving automation from L0 to L5. Companies are expected to avoid terms like 'autonomous driving' for L2 systems, focusing instead on 'combined driving assistance' terminology.
Moving forward, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology plans to accelerate the development of relevant standards and will conduct ongoing supervision of automakers. Companies found in violation of these safety and marketing requirements face potential legal penalties and public exposure.
