China's first mandatory national standard for L3/L4 autonomous driving published, effective July 2027

我国首部L3/L4自动驾驶强制性国标公示：2027年7月起实施

China's MIIT published the draft mandatory national standard 'Safety Requirements for Automated Driving Systems of Intelligent Connected Vehicles,' the first compulsory standard covering L3 and L4. The proposed effective date is July 1, 2027. It requires the system to be at least as safe as a competent, attentive human driver and introduces a Safety Case framework—companies must prove safety through a 'claim-argument-evidence' structure, with simulation, track, and road tests cross-validated. L3 rules focus on handover and fallback when the driver doesn't take over; L4 rules require the system to handle risk without remote assistance. New models must comply from the effective date; existing models get a roughly one-year transition. Analysts from Momenta and Pangu Think Tank said this shifts regulation from loose concepts to hard safety constraints, ending the era of vague marketing claims.

Why it matters: China's first mandatory L3/L4 standard is a clear policy signal with direct industry impact. Score not higher because it's still a draft for public comment, with a year until enforcement — room for changes.