China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) is working on a second batch of approvals for Level 3 conditionally automated driving pilots, according to remarks by a senior official reported on 22 October 2026. Guo Shougang spoke at the 2026 World Intelligent Connected Vehicles Conference in Beijing.
Building the rulebook
Level 3 is the point at which the system, not the driver, is responsible for driving in defined conditions, which raises questions about liability and type approval. China granted its first Level 3 pilot approvals earlier and is now widening the programme.
According to CnEVPost's report, the regulatory work includes:
- a mandatory national safety standard for automated driving systems, due to take effect on 1 July 2027; and
- a consultation opened on 20 October on optional turquoise lights to show that a vehicle's automated driving system is in control, with a proposed effective date of 1 January 2028.
Why it is significant
China is the world's largest car market and its manufacturers are competing hard on driver assistance features. A clear approval route for Level 3 lets carmakers charge for higher-level features and shifts part of the liability for crashes from drivers to manufacturers, which in turn affects insurance pricing. The indicator light proposal mirrors the cyan marker lamp idea in the US and work at the United Nations, suggesting the main markets are converging on how to signal automated driving to other road users.
Carmakers that won places in the first batch have a head start. Those seeking a slot in the second will need to meet the ministry's testing and data requirements.
Why it matters financially
Approval for Level 3 lets Chinese carmakers sell higher-value automated driving packages, but it also moves crash liability towards manufacturers. The fixed date for the mandatory safety standard, 1 July 2027, gives suppliers a firm compliance deadline to plan investment around. The report does not give figures for the number of companies or vehicles in the second batch.