BUSINESS

State Reins In ‘Autonomous’ Driving Hype After Deadly Crash

Published: Apr. 18, 2025 7:59 p.m. GMT+8

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The regulatory mandate highlights the MIIT’s intention to protect consumers from being misled by carmakers’ flashy marketing claims. Photo: Xiaomi

The Chinese government has ordered automakers to stop hyping up the capability of smart driving technology, after a Xiaomi electric sedan crashed and killed three people while its autopilot feature was engaged.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) summoned about 60 representatives from dozens of car companies for a meeting Wednesday, where it told them to avoid overstating the ability of driver assistance technology and to standardize the use of over-the-air (OTA) software updates for the technology’s improvement, according to the meeting’s minutes, which are circulating online and whose authenticity was confirmed by two sources familiar with the matter.

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China's MIIT has mandated automakers to avoid overstating driver assistance technology capabilities and regulated the use of OTA software updates after a Xiaomi sedan crash killed three people.
Automakers must refrain from terms like "autonomous driving" for Level 2 tech, perform rigorous testing for updates, and seek government approvals.
The ministry emphasizes consumer protection, highlighting risks of system malfunctions in extreme conditions and complex scenarios.

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Who’s Who

Xiaomi: Xiaomi faced scrutiny after a fatal crash involving its SU7 electric sedan with the autopilot feature engaged, killing three people. The accident occurred on March 29 in Anhui province, when the car hit a concrete divider at 97 km/h shortly after alerting the driver to take control. The crash spotlighted safety concerns in assisted driving technologies and spurred stricter regulations. Xiaomi and other automakers must now meet rigorous standards for updates and testing of driver assistance systems.

China Automotive Technology and Research Center Co. Ltd.: China Automotive Technology and Research Center Co. Ltd. (CATARC) is led by its chairman, An Tiecheng. The organization emphasizes the potential malfunctions of driver assistance systems under extreme weather or complex scenarios, like heavy rain, fog, or roads with barricades. CATARC plays a role in advocating for cautious and reliable advancements in automotive technology, particularly addressing risks and reliability in smart driving systems.

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