China plans new rules for autonomous vehicles -ministry

BEIJING: China’s Ministry of Public Security is seeking public feedback about new regulations on self-driving vehicles for its latest road safety law, as the auto industry continues to develop autonomous technologies.

In a draft rule on the ministry’s website, the ministry said autonomous vehicles for testings should obtain certain approval and operate in designated areas.

Companies should also record the data gathered from the vehicles and a person should be seated on the driver’s seat if the vehicle allows.

China’s current national road safety law does not contain such rules on autonomous driving vehicles but local city governments regulate the testing of these vehicles according to their own rules.

A swathe of autonomous driving companies are testing their vehicles in China, the world’s biggest auto market, including Toyota-backed Pony.ai, Baidu Inc, as well as truck startups TuSimple and Plus.

Source: auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com