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China has taken a leading role in shaping and promoting the first worldwide technical standards for autonomous vehicles, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The country served as vice-chair of the Working Group on Automated, Autonomous, and Connected Vehicles and co-chaired the Informal Working Group on Functional Requirements for Automated and Autonomous Vehicles, playing a significant part in developing the global technical regulations for automated driving systems.
This international regulation, collaboratively created by China, the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Japan, was approved during the 199th session of the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29) held in Geneva from June 22 to 26. The process spanned several years, involving over 20 detailed meetings and technical efforts.
China led the drafting of critical elements of the regulation, including technical background, guiding principles, and foundational science. The country contributed numerous technical recommendations focusing on dynamic driving functions, human-machine interactions, and testing and validation processes. Additionally, China shared data from domestic closed-track testing, public road trials, and vehicle-road integration projects.
Prior to this, there was no comprehensive or unified regulatory framework for self-driving technology standards at the global level or within major regions. Many countries advanced research and applications based on their own experiences, resulting in a fragmented international regulatory landscape.
As one industry expert explained, “China is the largest market for smart electric vehicles globally, with substantial production and sales. It also leads in technology, alongside companies like Tesla. Our influence extends greatly when it comes to creating autonomous driving regulations.” The adoption of driver-assistance systems in Chinese vehicles has surpassed 60%, underlining the importance of incorporating Chinese standards into international regulations to cover key application scenarios and foundational technology.
If China were excluded from participating in setting these standards, they would be difficult to implement within China, rendering them ineffective on a practical level, according to the expert. Therefore, China’s active engagement is both a natural progression of its industrial growth and an essential step to ensure that global rules are truly inclusive and applicable worldwide.
Experts believe that domestic and international standards can complement each other, with Chinese regulations aligning with global norms while also surpassing them and incorporating local features. This strategy can help reduce compliance costs for Chinese automakers expanding abroad.
Historically, standards were set by Europe and the US, with China simply following. Now, China is actively involved in the formulation and joint promotion of global standards for smart electric vehicles, leveraging its position as the world’s largest market and producer. The country’s influence in this sector is expected to continue strengthening.
As unified international regulations take hold and China’s regulatory system continues to develop, the autonomous vehicle industry is expected to shift away from trial-and-error approaches towards a more standardized, safety-focused development cycle driven by technological innovation.
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