When it comes to pushing the development of cutting-edge technologies, the Chinese government is rather pragmatic in its policy-making process. In the field of autonomous driving, the country has made great strides in defining parameters and restrictions for service providers, removing regulatory ambiguity and giving industry players the freedom to test the nascent technology.
The test instructions, was revealed by the Department of Transportation recently, target AV services such as robotaxis, autonomous trucks, and robots. The release came about 16 months after the department’s launch seeking public opinion on the regulatory framework and policymakers have reached a consensus that autonomous vehicles are subject to strict oversight measures to ensure maximum safety.
Prior to the establishment of national guidelines, AV policymaking in China was done in a more decentralized manner, with local governments formulating their own rules for service providers on their turf. Large technology clusters such as Beijing, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, for example, have been pioneers in allowing companies to test AVs with minimal human intervention.
There are some notable takeaways from the new guidelines, and a close read reveals some interesting contrasts between the perspectives of Chinese and US regulators on the nascent technology.
First, the rules state that AVs, regardless of their level of automation, can only operate in designated areas. Autonomous buses, for example, should operate on “closed or relatively unpaved roads”. The restriction sounds slightly more relaxed for robotaxis, which are allowed under “controlled and safe traffic conditions”. Robo trucks have the clearest limitations limiting them to “point-to-point highways or good traffic conditions” only.
In addition to obtaining licenses for their AVs, operators will also need to apply for the relevant licenses required for public transport service providers. AVs should be clearly marked to alert other drivers on the road.
The guidelines make only one reference to software, mandating that over-the-air upgrades comply with Ministry of Industry and Information Regulations to ensure their security.
The rules also set out requirements for safety operators at various degrees of automation. Autonomous cargo trucks should “in principle” be equipped with in-car safety operators. Robotaxis with advanced automation should have a safety operator in the car. And fully automated robotaxis can be monitored by remote security operators who don’t have to oversee more than three vehicles, provided the cars only drive in certain areas.
Unlike US regulators, which require AV operators to report accidents, China takes a more proactive surveillance-based approach. According to China’s Ministry of Transport guidelines, AVs are expected to monitor and store vehicle status, while also transmitting key real-time data to both service providers and relevant local regulatory authorities. They should also agree with vehicle manufacturers and safety operators on the scope of the respective party’s responsibilities.
So what information do regulators expect to receive in the event of an accident? The rules state that AVs have at least 90 seconds of recorded event data, which should include the vehicle’s license plate number, control mode, position, speed, acceleration and direction. It should also detail the car’s perception of the environment and its subsequent response, signal status, a 360-degree camera view of the car’s surroundings, and remote commands or malfunction diagnoses, if any.
Most notably, the data should also include in-car video and recordings of driver behavior and human-machine interaction. Cruise and Waymo, in comparison, you only record video and only enable audio recordings during live support calls. The audio requirement for AVs isn’t all that surprising after all, given that Chinese ride-sharing services like Didi already continuously record in-car conversations for security reasons, a requirement that has raised passenger privacy concerns.
