China is banning automakers from utilizing the phrases “good driving” and “autonomous driving” after they promote driving help options, and it’ll tighten scrutiny of such know-how upgrades.
The mandate on automobile promoting was delivered by the Ministry of Business and Data Expertise in its assembly with practically 60 representatives from automakers on Wednesday, based on a transcript seen by Reuters and confirmed by one of many attendees.
The transfer follows a deadly accident involving Xiaomi’s best-selling SU7 sedan in March that triggered widespread issues over automobile security.
Preliminary findings confirmed the Xiaomi automobile caught hearth after hitting a cement roadside pole at a velocity of 97 kph (60 mph) seconds after its driver took over management from the superior driving help system (ADAS).
The ministry confirmed the assembly in a brief assertion that mentioned it offered readability to automakers about new necessities printed in February involving driving-related over-the-air know-how upgrades of clever and related automobiles.
Beneath the up to date rule, automakers are not allowed to check and enhance their ADAS by way of distant software program updates for automobiles already delivered to prospects with out approval, based on the assembly transcript.
They’re now required to hold out sufficient checks to confirm reliability and to acquire approval from the authorities earlier than such roll-outs.
Huawei, which provides its ADAS to a minimum of seven manufacturers together with Audi in China, was among the many companies that attended the assembly, based on the transcript.
The regulatory transfer comes as automakers have been speeding to launch new fashions outfitted with ADAS, touting the “good driving” functionality as a key promoting level to battle a brutal worth warfare that has prolonged into the third yr on the planet’s largest auto market.
BYD escalated the competitors in February when it rolled out a minimum of 21 reasonably priced fashions priced from lower than $10,000 which are outfitted with free “good driving” options. A lot of its friends together with Leapmotor and Toyota adopted swimsuit, introducing reasonably priced automobiles with related options.
The Chinese language regulators are tightening the scrutiny on electrical automobile applied sciences because the business has grown quicker than anticipated, with gross sales of EVs and hybrids accounting for greater than half of whole automobile gross sales late final yr, a milestone achieved forward of policymakers’ schedule.
The regulators are additionally tightening rules on EV battery requirements, aiming to scale back dangers of fireplace and explosions.
Analysts and business sources cautioned the stricter regulatory guidelines would enhance prices and gradual the tempo of know-how growth and adoption. Nevertheless it might additionally speed up a long-overdue consolidation in China’s crowded auto business that has been grappling with overcapacity, they added.
