China Approves Level-3 Autonomous Driving for Changan and BAIC, Signaling Tech Push
China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has granted Changan Automobile and BAIC approval to produce electric vehicles with level-three autonomous driving systems. These systems permit hands-off operation under specific conditions while requiring driver alertness—a significant leap from current assisted-driving technologies dominating the market.
The sanctioned models face strict operational limits: Changan's urban-focused vehicle caps at 50 km/h, while BAIC's Arcfox handles highways at 80 km/h. Both passed rigorous safety validations. The MOVE aligns with broader industry ambitions, as evidenced by XPeng's announced 2026 robotaxi rollout and humanoid robot plans.