China grants first approvals for highly automated Level 3 driving

The approvals specifically relate to the Deepal SL03 from the Changan Group and the Arcfox Alpha S from the BAIC Group. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has granted regulatory clearance for Level 3 automated driving functions for both vehicles.

However, this does not mean these functions can be deployed nationwide immediately. For now, the Deepal SL03 is permitted to operate in automated mode only on predefined road sections in Chongqing, including urban and expressway traffic, in congested conditions and single-lane operation at speeds of up to 50 km/h. Under these conditions, drivers may take their hands off the steering wheel and eyes off the road (‘hands-off, eyes-off’). Meanwhile, drivers of the Arcfox Alpha S may use the Level 3 function in single-lane mode on expressways and urban motorways in Beijing at speeds of up to 80 km/h.

While this may sound like further localised testing—similar to what Mercedes-Benz has been conducting with its ‘Drive Pilot’ system already approved in Germany—the approvals for the Deepal SL03 and Arcfox Alpha S are far more significant. For the first time, these are not merely local authority approvals for test drives but national product regulatory clearances for Level 3 functions. Although these functions cannot yet be used nationwide in China and are initially limited to specific areas, the MIIT’s approvals pave the way for expanding the service to additional cities soon. However, local approvals will still be required for each new deployment.

Level 3 describes highly automated driving using an Advanced Driver-Assistance System (ADAS), where the vehicle assumes control of the driving task under specific conditions. However, the driver must always be prepared to regain control when prompted. For example, in Mercedes-Benz’s ‘Drive Pilot’ system, drivers are permitted to take their hands off the steering wheel and eyes off the road, such as to check a mobile phone. However, they must be able to retake control within ten seconds of a prompt from the vehicle. Additionally, ‘Drive Pilot’ is currently approved for use only on motorways and at speeds of up to 95 km/h. Similar restrictions apply to the Arcfox and Deepal models under the Chinese approvals.

While Level 3 automated driving is expected to become increasingly common in fleet and private vehicles over the coming years, the next level, Level 4, is currently primarily associated with robotaxis. Vehicles approved for Level 4 can operate entirely without a driver in predefined and mapped areas and do not even require a steering wheel or pedals. The highest level, Level 5, refers to vehicles capable of fully autonomous operation without any geographical or speed restrictions. However, this remains a distant goal.

carnewschina.com, miit.gov.cn (in Chinese)