China is implementing a ban on terms such as ‘smart driving’ and ‘autonomous driving’ in car advertisements. The decision is part of broader regulatory efforts to strengthen control over advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and over-the-air (OTA) software updates.
According to reports, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) convened a private meeting with 20 companies on Wednesday, urging them to cease public testing of driver assistance software and to ensure all updates are formally submitted for approval.
The regulation stems from a March incident where a Xiaomi SU7 sedan caught fire after crashing at 97 kph. The fire ignited soon after the driver deactivated the vehicle’s advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), sparking serious concerns about the reliability and safety of these technologies.
According to the meeting minutes, car companies were instructed to avoid terms such as ‘self-driving,’ ‘autonomous driving,’ ‘smart driving,’ and ‘advanced smart driving.’ Instead, they were encouraged to use the term ‘combined assisted driving’ to prevent misleading consumers.
A meeting transcript reviewed by Reuters revealed that automakers must obtain government authorization before implementing remote updates that modify driving-related features in vehicles already sold. Additionally, these updates must undergo thorough testing to ensure their safety and dependability.
As outlined in the minutes, vehicles requiring emergency OTA software updates are to be regarded as recalls or a temporary pause in production, and companies should reduce the frequency of software OTA updates.
Chinese regulators are intensifying the supervision of electric vehicle battery standards to mitigate the dangers of fires and explosions. The heightened regulation comes as the new energy vehicle (NEV) sector, encompassing EVs and hybrids, surpassed government projections, representing over half of all automobile sales by late 2024.
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