China: Ministry of Industry and Information Technology opened consultation on safety requirements for autonomous driving systems of intelligent and connected vehicles

On 12 February 2026, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology opened a consultation on 5 draft mandatory national standards, including the draft Safety Requirements for Autonomous Driving Systems of Intelligent and Connected Vehicles, until 13 April 2026. The draft standard establishes technical and functional safety requirements for autonomous driving systems in intelligent and connected vehicles. The draft standard defines the operational design domain and sets out requirements for continuous environmental monitoring and real-time hazard detection. The draft standard requires autonomous driving systems to transition to a minimal risk condition in the event of system failure or when operating outside the defined domain. The minimal risk condition may include controlled deceleration or safe roadside stopping. The draft standard also specifies requirements for human-machine interaction, including driver monitoring and takeover request procedures. In addition, the draft standard introduces provisions on system redundancy, operational data recording for post-incident analysis, and cybersecurity safeguards. Finally, the draft standard requires simulation, closed-track and real-world testing to verify compliance with performance and safety requirements.