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There’s been a flurry of announcements this week about L3 autonomous driving in China. I’ll get to them in a moment, but let’s first explain what L3 autonomous driving is.
L2 autonomous driving is the driver-assist technology most automakers are deploying that we’re quite familiar with — lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, lane change assist. L4 autonomous driving is fully autonomous driving all the time that doesn’t require human supervision at all. Between those, we have L3 autonomous driving that allows a hands-off, eyes-off driving option some of the time in certain situations or places.
“Level 3, or hands-off/eyes-off autonomous driving is where the big leap into autonomy takes place. Defined by the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers), as “conditional driving automation” level 3 autonomous driving allows a vehicle to drive itself under specific conditions without human input, while still requiring the driver to be ready to take back control when necessary. It offers a genuine hands-off, eyes-off experience, but only within well-mapped, controlled environments such as highways or during low-speed traffic jams,” Mobileye writes.
“This level is often seen as the most sought-after step in the consumer AV space, offering hands-off, eyes-off capabilities and premium in-cabin experiences, without the full complexity and cost of a Level 4 system that is fully autonomous, and requires no human input. […]
“Level 3 is the point where the driving experience makes a real shift. While the driver is still required to be available for a takeover, should the need arise, the experience is no longer defined solely by continuous control. It opens space for small breaks, or “mind-off” moments, such as checking on kids in the back seat or a moment’s decompression on a long commute, giving time back to drivers. It is the beginning of a new psychological relationship to driving.”
“This level is incredibly rare, with the key word being conditional. The vehicle will safely drive down the road at certain speeds, on specific types of roads, and only in particular conditions and geo-fenced areas, without any input from the driver,” JD Power summarizes. “However, the system must be requested—or enabled—by the driver, and the driver must take over when asked to. This means that there is still a steering wheel, gas, and brake pedal. The best example is the Mercedes’ Drive Pilot.”
Well, this type of autonomous driving is popping right now in China. Here are recent developments:
On Monday, China issued L3 autonomous driving permits for regular passenger vehicles for the first time.
BYD has been working with Shenzhen city staff to test L3 autonomous driving technology that is ready for mass production. It was reported today by local media that BYD has now completed 150,000 kilometers of L3 testing in Shenzhen.
XPENG has begun L3 autonomous driving testing in Guangzhou. XPENG’s CEO, He Xiaopeng, just recently visited Silicon Valley and tested Tesla FSD V14.2 software while there, and he indicates that he expects XPENG will get to that level in China by August 30, 2026.
Li Auto has begun L3 autonomous driving testing in Beijing.
Huawei has begun L3 autonomous driving testing in Shenzhen.
The Changan Deepal SL03 and Arcfox Alpha S have also been approved for L3 autonomous driving testing on public roads in China.
Things are starting to get interesting. Stay tuned.
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