The "Safety Requirements for Intelligent Connected Vehicle Automated Driving Systems" (GB 44721-2026) has been officially released. It is China's first mandatory national standard for L3 and L4 autonomous driving systems, taking effect on July 1, 2027.
Core Standard Provisions
On July 30, 2026, the State Administration for Market Regulation and the Standardization Administration jointly approved the "Safety Requirements for Intelligent Connected Vehicle Automated Driving Systems" (GB 44721-2026). Formulated by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, this is China's first mandatory national standard for L3 conditional driving automation and L4 high driving automation systems.
The standard applies to M-category passenger vehicles and N-category goods vehicles equipped with L3/L4 systems. Automatic parking systems are excluded. Compared to the 2024 recommended standard (GB/T 44721-2024), this upgrade elevates legal force from "recommended" to "mandatory," reflecting stronger regulatory oversight of AD safety.
Key requirements include:
- ADS safety shall be at least equivalent to that of a qualified and attentive human driver
- No unreasonable safety risks to users or other road users
- Safe activation and deactivation processes with clear state information
- L3 systems must include driver takeover capability monitoring
Four Safety Dimensions
The standard builds a comprehensive safety framework across four dimensions:
Safety Policy and Risk Management
- Manufacturers must establish full-lifecycle assurance covering design, production, and post-deployment
- Reduce potential ADS safety risks at the source
Dynamic Driving Task Execution
- Strengthen DDT execution capabilities for safe operation
- Define minimum risk maneuverment (MRM) trigger and execution requirements
Human-Machine Interaction
- Standardize HMI and user notification to prevent misuse
- Ensure safe activation and deactivation processes
Testing and Validation
- Multi-dimensional testing methods for implementability
- Require simulation, proving ground, and road testing during R&D
Alignment with International Regulations
Notably, the standard maintains coordination with the UN Global Technical Regulation on ADS (ADS GTR), which China led in developing and was approved in June 2026. China is playing an increasingly leading role in international AD standardization.
The standard is also tailored to China's actual road traffic environment and industry management needs, enhancing domestic implementability. This "international alignment + local adaptation" dual positioning benefits both Chinese OEMs' overseas compliance and the healthy development of the domestic AD industry.
Industry Impact
GB 44721-2026 marks China's AD safety regulation moving from voluntary guidance to mandatory constraints. The impact spans three levels:
- OEMs: Must reassess existing L3/L4 safety architectures for compliance
- Supply chain: Higher safety redundancy requirements for LiDAR, HD positioning, and domain controllers
- Consumers: Gain authoritative safety benchmarks for rational AD capability assessment
For industry professionals in Central Asia and Russia, tracking China's AD standard evolution is crucial. As the world's largest NEV market, China's standards will profoundly shape the global supply chain landscape. Visit EX1000.COM for the latest updates.
