China Grants First L3 Autonomous Driving Approvals for Beijing and Chongqing Pilots with Advanced Sensor Tech

Rokay, December 16 — The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) recently officially announced that China has granted its first access permits for Level 3 (L3) conditionally automated driving vehicles. Two models—one optimized for urban traffic congestion and the other for highway scenarios—will begin on-road pilot testing in designated areas of Beijing and Chongqing.

By definition, L3 represents "conditional automation," meaning drivers must remain ready to take over control at any moment and intervene when necessary.

According to prior industry descriptions, L3 systems already allow drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel, marking the initial realization of “autonomous driving.” In contrast, previous systems could only be classified as “driver assistance features.”

China Central Television (CCTV) recently featured a segment revealing what the L3 autonomous driving experience actually feels like:

Taking the Arcfox Alpha S6 as an example, the vehicle is equipped with an extensive array of sensors, including three LiDAR units, over a dozen cameras, and numerous ultrasonic sensors distributed around the car body. This setup provides 360-degree perception coverage, enabling real-time detection of potential hazards in the vehicle’s surroundings.

Experts explained that these cameras and radars function like human eyes and ears, continuously sensing the external environment.

For L3 vehicles, a key requirement mandated by the four relevant government departments is that all such sensors—including cameras and radars—must be “factory-installed and mass-produced.” Vehicles retrofitted with sensors after production are not eligible to apply for the pilot program.

During operation within the approved pilot zones, the system will notify the driver when L3 autonomous driving mode can be activated. Once enabled, the driver may completely remove their hands from the steering wheel—but must still remain attentive, closely monitoring road conditions and the vehicle’s driving status.