China has granted its first Level 3 (L3) autonomous driving permits for conventional passenger vehicles, marking a policy breakthrough for the country’s smart driving industry and allowing limited deployment of conditionally automated driving systems on public roads.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said it has approved two L3-capable models, one from Changan Automobile and another from Arcfox, the electric vehicle brand of Beijing Automotive Group (BAIC Group). The approvals allow the vehicles to operate autonomously under defined conditions on selected highways and urban expressways.
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Changan’s approved model, a pure electric sedan registered as SC7000AAARBEV, will be permitted to use autonomous driving on single lanes of highways and urban expressways during traffic congestion, with a maximum speed of 50 km per hour. The functionality is currently limited to designated road sections in Chongqing, including parts of the Inner Ring Expressway and New Inner Ring Expressway. Changan later confirmed the model is the SL03 under its Deepal sub-brand.
Arcfox’s approved vehicle, registered as BJ7001A61NBEV, is also a pure electric sedan and has been cleared for autonomous driving at speeds of up to 80 km per hour on single lanes of highways and urban expressways. The feature is currently restricted to selected sections of Beijing, including the Jingtai Expressway and routes serving Daxing International Airport. BAIC said the model is the Arcfox Alpha S sedan.
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According to MIIT, expert teams carried out testing and safety assessments, and both automakers completed the required product verification before receiving approval. The vehicles will be used for on-road pilot programmes on approved sections, while regulators continue to refine oversight of intelligent connected vehicles.
China previously allowed passenger vehicles to be marketed only with Level 2 capabilities, defined by national standards as “combined driver assistance,” where the driver remains responsible for all driving tasks and potential accidents. Level 3, described as “conditionally automated driving,” allows the system to continuously handle all dynamic driving tasks within specific operating conditions, while the driver remains responsible for taking over when required.
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Several automakers, including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, BYD, Nio, Zeekr, IM Motors, Arcfox and Changan Deepal, have in recent years announced obtaining L3 autonomous driving test licences in specific cities. However, those permits were limited to testing and did not allow commercial deployment in regular passenger vehicles.
The MIIT said it will continue to improve access management and regulatory standards as intelligent driving technologies advance, signalling that broader adoption could follow further evaluation.