China grants first Level-3 autonomous driving vehicle permits

BEIJING -- China on Monday granted road approval for two electric sedan models equipped with Level-3 autonomous driving capabilities, in the first time it has allowed such vehicles to operate on public roads.

The models were developed by automakers Changan Automobile and BAIC Motor's Arcfox, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

The Changan vehicle is capable of single-lane autonomous driving at speeds of up to 50 km per hour during traffic congestion. It is approved to operate on select highway and urban expressway sections in southwest China's Chongqing.

The Arcfox vehicle is permitted to operate autonomously at speeds of up to 80 km per hour on designated highway and urban expressway sections in Beijing.

Autonomous driving is categorized in six levels from Level-0 to Level-5. The higher the level, the more advanced and intelligent the technology involved. Level-3, "conditionally automated driving," allows vehicles to perform automated dynamic driving tasks while requiring a human driver to remain available to take control when requested.

In recent years, China has been promoting the adoption of autonomous driving. In September, the country released a work plan outlining conditional approval for Level-3 vehicle production.