XPeng Earns ISO 8800 Certification, Becomes First Chinese Automaker to Secure All Three Major International Safety Certifications

XPeng Motors has announced it has received the ISO 8800 Automotive AI Safety Certification from UL Solutions, becoming the second Chinese company—after Horizon Robotics—to achieve this certification. With this milestone, XPeng is now the first automotive company and intelligent driving solutions provider in China to hold all three top-tier international certifications: ISO 26262 (ASIL-D functional safety), ISO 21448 (Safety of the Intended Functionality, or SOTIF), and ISO 8800 (AI safety). ISO 8800, published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in December 2024, is the world’s first international standard specifically addressing AI safety in road vehicles. It aims to fill the gap left by traditional automotive safety standards in the domain of artificial intelligence. The standard mandates the use of explainable AI technologies to ensure traceability of AI decision-making pathways, thereby clarifying liability in the event of accidents. Unlike ISO 21448, which provides only a system-level abstract framework, ISO 8800 sets concrete technical requirements targeting the “black box” nature of AI systems. The European Union has already incorporated ISO 8800 into its regulatory approval process for Level 4 autonomous driving systems. Similarly, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), in its draft revision of the "Administrative Regulations on Market Access for Intelligent Connected Vehicles," explicitly states that autonomous driving systems at Level 3 and above must comply with ISO 8800 data safety requirements. Companies failing to obtain this certification will face restrictions on market access.