China proposes national safety standards for level-2 driver assistance systems

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) on Wednesday released a draft of a mandatory national standard outlining safety requirements for combined driver assistance systems, or Level-2 (L2) systems. The move aims to fill a critical regulatory gap in product safety for this field.

According to the draft, L2 systems are not autonomous driving systems, as drivers must remain continuously engaged in dynamic driving tasks.

The clarification is intended to curb the over-marketing of terms such as “zero takeover” and prevent the deliberate blurring of lines between driver assistance and autonomous driving, which could lead drivers to lower their vigilance.

The draft also introduces a three-tiered safety framework, focusing on enhanced system performance, stronger safeguards, and standardized usage.

Standardized usage is emphasized as a key priority. The draft requires L2 systems to include hands-off and gaze-off detection. If a driver removes their hands from the steering wheel or looks away while the system is engaged, the vehicle must issue alerts and warnings. If the driver fails to respond, the system must safely disengage.

To further ensure proper use, the draft stipulates that if the system triggers risk mitigation due to driver disengagement—or if hands-off or gaze-off occurs repeatedly—the system must be disabled for at least 30 minutes before it can be reactivated.

Considering different product forms and technical approaches, the draft categorizes L2 systems into three types and provides relevant standards: basic single-lane combined assistance, basic multi-lane combined assistance, and navigation-based combined assistance.