Autonomous No More? Carmakers Are Rethinking This Term

As the tech matures, carmakers are rethinking how they talk about driver-assistance tech. In fact, the term “autonomous driving” is quietly disappearing, replaced by more careful language like “assisted driving.”

The shift reflects growing regulatory pressure and a heightened focus on safety. In showrooms, salespeople now refer to these systems as “L2-level assisted driving” and make it clear that drivers must stay attentive.

Meanwhile EV brands have toned down their promotion of self-driving features, choosing instead to spotlight comfort, cabin space, and in-car entertainment.

This adjustment comes after new rules from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), issued on April 16 where automakers are now barred from using misleading terms about autonomous capabilities.

The updated regulations follow a tragic accident on March 29 involving a Xiaomi SU7 using Navigation on Autopilot killing three students. This has resulted in brands now needing to disclose any system limitations or safety risks.

In the aftermath, Xiaomi heeding the government directive revised its marketing -  “Autonomous driving” was dropped and replaced with “assisted driving” from the SU7’s product page.

The company also renamed its systems - Pilot Pro is now “Xiaomi Assisted Driving Pro,” while HAD became “end-to-end assisted driving.”

Other manufacturers have taken similar steps. Mentions of autonomous driving have been removed with companies like NIO, XPeng, Li Auto and Avatr - all current systems fall under the L2 category and require full driver control.

Additionally, some brands have gone a step further by introducing new insurance coverage. XPeng now offers “ADAS insurance” to cover accidents linked to its driver-assistance systems. 

Huawei’s Aito M9 however, still promotes its ADS features, but now with clearer disclaimers stating the tech is merely supportive, not self-driving.

At the recent Auto Shanghai 2025, top brand executives acknowledged the need for better communication. Huawei’s Yu Chengdong stressed that drivers must stay alert at all times while XPeng’s He Xiaopeng has abandoned the phrase “autonomous driving” in favor of “intelligent assisted driving.”

Now as the industry’s messaging evolves, adopting more measured language is becoming crucial to better reflect current capabilities especially as rules tighten to place more focus on transparency, responsibility and rebuilding consumer confidence.

Source: CarNewsChina