MIIT Proposes New L3 Autonomous Driving Safety Rules: Drivers Must Respond to Takeover Requests

On February 12, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) released the "Safety Requirements for Autonomous Driving Systems in Intelligent and Connected Vehicles (Draft for Public Comment)," establishing safety baselines for Level 3 (L3) autonomous driving for the first time. According to the draft standard, L3 systems can operate autonomously under specific conditions, but when the system issues a request for driver takeover, the human driver must respond promptly. If the driver fails to respond, the system must automatically initiate risk-mitigation measures. This standard aligns with China's national standard "Classification of Vehicle Driving Automation," which defines six levels of automation from L0 to L5, with L3 and above classified as autonomous driving. Unlike L4, L3 still requires human drivers to intervene when necessary. The new regulation marks accelerated progress in China’s regulatory framework for autonomous driving, providing essential safety and legal safeguards for the deployment of this technology.