China Approves Major Revision to Road Traffic Safety Law with Autonomous Vehicle Regulations

China has taken a significant step towards regulating autonomous vehicles with the approval of a major revision to its Road Traffic Safety Law. The revision, which was sent to the National People's Congress for legislative review on June 12, includes an entire chapter dedicated to self-driving technology. This marks the first time autonomous vehicles have been addressed at the national legislative level in China.

The law aims to create a unified framework for testing, operating, and assigning liability for autonomous vehicles across the country. Currently, rules governing self-driving cars are patchwork and vary by city, with Shenzhen and Beijing having written their own regulations in 2022 and 2024 respectively.

The legislation addresses the thorny issue of liability when an accident involving a self-driving car occurs. The draft law explicitly delineates responsibility among drivers, vehicle owners, system operators, and developers.