China Issues First Mandatory National Standard for L3/L4 Autonomous Driving, Effective July 1, 2027

In early August 2024, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) officially released on its website the national standard "Safety Requirements for Automated Driving Systems in Intelligent Connected Vehicles" (GB 44721–2026). This is China’s first mandatory national standard specifically targeting Level 3 (L3) and Level 4 (L4) autonomous driving systems, and it will take effect on July 1, 2027. The standard explicitly requires automakers to establish safety management capabilities covering the entire lifecycle of automated driving systems and to maintain comprehensive safety records throughout. The safety performance of these systems must be at least equivalent to that of a competent and attentive human driver. It also mandates standardized human-machine interaction protocols, requiring manufacturers to clearly inform users about the system’s operational boundaries. Testing and inspection will be integrated into a unified, multi-dimensional framework, with all test data incorporated into the safety dossier; vehicles failing to pass the review will not be allowed on the market. Regarding liability allocation in accidents, the standard stipulates that if an accident occurs within the system’s operational design domain (ODD), the automaker bears responsibility. However, if the driver fails to take over control within 10 seconds after the system issues a takeover request, liability shifts to the driver. As of July 2024, BAIC’s Arcfox brand has already obtained an L3 road-testing license permitting speeds up to 120 km/h for its Arcfox Alpha S model, while Changan’s Deepal SL03 has been conditionally approved for public roads by the end of 2025. BAIC BluePark’s dual brands—Arcfox and Stelato—have both deployed L3 autonomous driving technologies, with the Arcfox T5-based Robotaxi models already in mass production and exported overseas. Other automakers such as XPeng, NIO, and Li Auto are also advancing their respective L3 technologies but face compliance challenges related to the Safety Case documentation framework. Under current regulations, vehicles purchased by consumers cannot be upgraded via OTA to achieve L3 autonomous driving functionality. Mass-market L3-capable vehicles for individual consumers are expected to enter the market between 2027 and 2028, with L3 technology primarily accumulating real-world operational experience through B2B applications prior to this window.