China Moves to Add Autonomous Vehicle Rules to Road Safety Law
China's legislature reviews a draft law amendment that would define autonomous driving and hold manufacturers or importers liable for traffic violations in self-driving mode.
China has taken a significant step toward regulating self-driving cars by proposing a dedicated chapter on autonomous vehicles within its Road Traffic Safety Law. The draft amendment was submitted for an initial review to the country's top legislature on Tuesday.
The proposal introduces formal definitions for autonomous driving and driver-assistance functions, aiming to create a clear legal framework for the rapidly evolving technology. A key provision addresses liability: under the draft, manufacturers or importers could be held responsible for traffic violations that occur while a vehicle is operating in fully autonomous mode.
In contrast, vehicles driven manually or with only assisted-driving features would continue to be governed by existing traffic rules. This distinction is intended to provide legal clarity for both companies developing the technology and the public using it.
The move signals China's intent to keep pace with the global push toward autonomous vehicles while establishing guardrails for safety and accountability on its roads.