China grants market access to first batch of L3 autonomous driving models

(ECNS) — China has approved market access for its first batch of Level 3 autonomous driving passenger vehicles, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said Monday, a milestone in the commercial rollout of conditionally automated driving technology.

The approval covers two vehicle models come from separate domestic automakers.

One, a battery-electric sedan produced by a Chongqing-based manufacturer, supports autonomous driving at speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour within a single lane on highways and urban expressways under congested traffic conditions. The function is currently limited to approved road sections in Chongqing.

The other model, developed by a Beijing-based automaker, is another battery-electric sedan. It enables autonomous driving at speeds of up to 80 kilometers per hour within a single lane on highways and urban expressways, and is currently authorized for use only on designated roads in Beijing.

According to the ministry, the two models will next be operated by designated entities in Beijing and Chongqing for on-road pilot programs within approved areas.

Internationally, driving automation is commonly classified into five levels. L3, or conditional automation, allows the vehicle's system to perform driving tasks in specific scenarios, while requiring the human driver to take over promptly when the system issues a takeover request.

Alongside progress in Level 3 deployment, China has continued pilot programs for higher-level autonomous driving technologies in several regions, primarily in controlled or limited-use scenarios.

In the Yangtze River Delta, Caocao Mobility, a ride-hailing platform backed by Geely, announced plans to transition from vehicles with in-seat safety operators to fully driverless operations in cities including Hangzhou. The company also plans to roll out third-generation vehicles specifically designed for autonomous driving and compliant with full vehicle-grade standards starting in 2027, paving the way for large-scale commercialization.

In South China's Guangzhou city, autonomous sanitation vehicles operated during major sporting events this year worked up to 16 hours a day—twice the operating time of conventional sanitation vehicles. Statistics show that these autonomous vehicles helped cut carbon emissions by more than 27 tonnes during the events.

In South China's Hainan Province, pilot programs for L4 autonomous driving services tailored to tourism scenarios have recently been launched. These vehicles are rented daily and are designed as "mobile spaces" integrating intelligent tour guidance with leisure and entertainment functions.

Baidu's Apollo Go autonomous ride-hailing service, for example, has expanded operations to 22 cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan and Shenzhen. The platform now handles about 250,000 fully driverless bookings per week, according to the company.

(By Evelyn)