China Advances Second Batch of Level 3 Driving Approvals

China Advances Second Batch of Level 3 Autonomous Driving Approvals

China is advancing a second batch of pilot approvals for Level 3 autonomous driving vehicles, building on conditional permits granted to two automakers in December 2025. Guo Shougang, head of the equipment industry department at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), disclosed the progress at the 2026 World Intelligent Connected Vehicles Conference, according to a report by Cailian. The latest development indicates that the country's vehicle approval pilots are moving forward, while authorities continue to emphasize operational monitoring and safety. However, officials have not identified the automakers or vehicle models expected to participate in the second batch, and they have not announced a timetable for the next approvals.

First Conditional Permits Covered Changan and BAIC Models

The first conditional approvals were granted in December 2025 to Changan Automobile and BAIC Group. The approved vehicles were the Deepal SL03, developed by Changan, and the Arcfox Alpha S from BAIC. Both are battery-electric sedans, but their permitted operating conditions differ. The Deepal SL03 was authorized to perform single-lane autonomous driving at speeds of up to 50 km/h in congested traffic on designated highways and urban expressways in Chongqing. The Arcfox Alpha S was permitted to perform single-lane autonomous driving at speeds of up to 80 km/h on designated highways and urban expressways in Beijing. These permissions apply only within specified road environments and operating conditions.

How the Pilot Approvals Differ From Road-Testing Permits

The product approvals represent a different stage from the Level 3 road-testing permits previously obtained by automakers. Rather than authorizing unrestricted or nationwide use of autonomous driving functions, the approvals allow the designated vehicles to participate in road-use pilot programs on specified routes. The distinction matters because permission to test a system on public roads does not, by itself, establish that its functions can be used broadly by customers in every location or traffic situation. The first approvals remain bounded by geographic and operational restrictions, and the second batch is also being developed within a controlled pilot framework. The latest report does not provide details about the additional vehicles or manufacturers under consideration.

MIIT Emphasizes Monitoring and Operational Safety

As work on the second batch proceeds, MIIT plans to strengthen vehicle-operation monitoring and safety measures, while reviewing lessons from the pilots to support the safe operation of intelligent connected vehicles. This approach places continued oversight alongside the expansion of approved vehicle programs. Level 3 automation involves a system performing the driving task under defined conditions, while the human driver must remain capable of taking over when required. The initial permits' restrictions on roads and operating conditions therefore remain an important part of the framework described in the report. Authorities have not yet disclosed the second batch's participants or approval dates, so the scope and timing of the next stage remain unconfirmed.

China Sets a National Safety Standard for Level 3 and Level 4 Systems

China is also developing common safety requirements as its autonomous driving approval pilots advance. The mandatory national standard titled Safety Requirements for Autonomous Driving Systems of Intelligent Connected Vehicles was announced in August 2026 and is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2027. It covers Level 3 and Level 4 autonomous driving systems and requires their safety performance to be at least equivalent to that of a competent and attentive human driver performing the dynamic driving task. For Level 3 systems, the standard also requires monitoring of the driver's ability to take over control. The requirements establish a national safety baseline for the covered systems, although the reported approval pilots continue to operate under their own designated conditions.

Proposed Turquoise Indicator Lights for Automated Driving

On October 20, 2026, MIIT launched a public consultation on proposed automotive exterior-lighting standards that would allow vehicles equipped with Level 3 or higher autonomous driving systems to use optional turquoise automated driving system (ADS) indicator lights. Under the draft proposal, the lights would switch on automatically when the relevant automated driving function is activated and switch off when the system disengages. The proposed standard is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2028, but its final provisions and implementation arrangements have not yet been determined. The lights remain a proposal under consultation rather than a confirmed mandatory feature, and the final requirements may depend on the outcome of the standard-setting process.

What Remains Unconfirmed About the Next Approval Batch

The latest announcement confirms that work on a second batch of Level 3 autonomous driving pilot approvals is underway, but several important details remain unavailable. The report does not name the automakers or vehicle models being considered, nor does it state when the approvals will be issued. It also does not announce any change to the geographic or operating restrictions attached to the first approved vehicles. Separately, the national safety standard has a scheduled effective date of July 1, 2027, while the proposed turquoise ADS indicator-light standard is targeted for January 1, 2028, subject to final provisions and implementation arrangements. These timelines concern different regulatory measures and should not be interpreted as a confirmed date for the second batch of vehicle approvals.

Industry Impact & Outlook

China's second approval batch could broaden the range of vehicles participating in Level 3 autonomous driving pilots, while the developing safety and lighting standards create a more defined framework for system operation and communication with other road users. Automakers seeking approval will need to account for the restricted operating conditions described in the existing permits and the national requirements scheduled to take effect in 2027. The proposed turquoise indicator lights could also influence how automated-driving activation is signaled if the draft becomes final. For manufacturers, suppliers, and regulators, the next meaningful developments will be the identification of additional approved models, clarification of pilot conditions, and publication of final provisions for the proposed lighting standard. The available announcement does not confirm a timeline for the second batch.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the latest development in China's Level 3 autonomous driving approvals?
China is working on a second batch of pilot approvals for Level 3 autonomous driving vehicles following the first conditional permits issued in December 2025. Guo Shougang of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology disclosed the progress at the 2026 World Intelligent Connected Vehicles Conference. The latest report does not identify the automakers or models involved in the next batch and does not specify when approvals are expected. Authorities say vehicle-operation monitoring and safety measures will continue to be strengthened as the pilots progress.

Which vehicles received China's first conditional Level 3 approvals?
The first conditional permits were granted in December 2025 to the Deepal SL03 from Changan Automobile and the Arcfox Alpha S from BAIC Group. Both vehicles are battery-electric sedans, but they have different permitted operating conditions. The Deepal SL03 can perform single-lane autonomous driving at speeds of up to 50 km/h in congested traffic on designated highways and urban expressways in Chongqing. The Arcfox Alpha S is permitted to perform the function at speeds of up to 80 km/h on designated highways and urban expressways in Beijing. Both permissions are restricted to specified roads and conditions.

How do the Level 3 product approvals differ from road-testing permits?
The product approvals allow designated vehicles to participate in road-use pilot programs on specified routes, whereas earlier road-testing permits authorized automakers to test their systems. These approvals do not authorize nationwide use of the autonomous driving functions. The first approved vehicles remain subject to geographic limits and operating conditions, including the roads on which the functions can be activated. The distinction means that an approved pilot vehicle cannot automatically be assumed to have permission to operate autonomously on every public road or under all traffic conditions. The second batch's precise scope has not yet been announced.

When will China's national autonomous driving safety standard take effect?
China's mandatory national standard, Safety Requirements for Autonomous Driving Systems of Intelligent Connected Vehicles, is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2027. Announced in August 2026, it applies to Level 3 and Level 4 autonomous driving systems. The standard requires safety performance at least equivalent to that of a competent and attentive human driver performing the dynamic driving task. It also requires Level 3 systems to monitor whether the driver is able to take over control. The standard's effective date is separate from the unannounced timetable for the second batch of pilot approvals.

What are China's proposed turquoise automated driving indicator lights?
MIIT's October 20, 2026, consultation proposes allowing vehicles equipped with Level 3 or higher autonomous driving systems to have optional turquoise automated driving system indicator lights. Under the draft, the lights would turn on automatically when the relevant function activates and turn off when the system disengages. The proposed lighting standard is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2028. However, the consultation does not establish the final requirements, and the provisions and implementation arrangements have yet to be determined. The lights should therefore be described as a proposal, not a confirmed requirement.

Has China announced the automakers and timing for the second approval batch?
No automakers or vehicle models for the second batch were identified in the report, and no expected approval date was provided. The announcement confirms that work on the next group of pilot approvals is underway, but it does not establish which vehicles will qualify or when authorities will make their decisions. The first conditional permits remain associated with the Deepal SL03 in Chongqing and the Arcfox Alpha S in Beijing, under specified operating conditions. The safety standard and proposed lighting rules have their own stated timelines, which should not be treated as dates for the second batch of vehicle approvals.