China Moves to Tighten Rules on L2 Driving Assistance

After recently clamping down on automotive marketing language, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) is taking the next step. It has opened a public consultation on a new mandatory national standard, Safety Requirements for Combined Driving Assistance Systems in Intelligent Connected Vehicles.

The regulation aims to close critical safety gaps in the fast-growing market for L2 driver assistance systems (ADAS), which have become a major selling point for new cars in China. It will set technical foundations for industry access, quality supervision, and accident investigations.

Adoption of these systems has surged. Between Jan and July 2025, 7.76 million passenger cars with L2 assistance were sold in China, a 21.3% year-on-year increase. Market penetration has climbed to 62.6%, up 6.5% from last year. But with growth has come risk.

Officials warn that the lack of unified performance standards has led to misuse and overstatement by automakers. 

Terms such as “advanced autonomous” or “zero takeover” have blurred the line between driver assistance and true autonomy, encouraging dangerous behaviour like hands-off driving or distraction. Fatal accidents have intensified public concern and underscored the need for stricter oversight.

The new standard introduces a three-tier safety framework. It strictly defines the conditions under which systems may operate and sets requirements for human-machine interaction, functional safety, cybersecurity, and data recording. Compliance will be verified through facility testing, road trials, and documentation checks.

Safety management will cover the entire product lifecycle. Automakers must conduct risk assessments during development, ensure traceability and reliability in manufacturing, and enable continuous monitoring and reporting once vehicles are in use.

System usage will also be standardised. Vehicles must include both hand-off detection and gaze monitoring. If a driver lets go of the wheel or looks away for too long, the system must warn them and, if necessary, disengage. Repeat offenders will face temporary lockouts to prevent misuse.

China recognises six levels of driving automation, from L0 to L5. The new framework is aimed squarely at L2 “combined driving assistance” systems, where the driver must remain alert, maintain control, and be ready to intervene at any time.

Source: CarNewsChina