China targets large-scale autonomous vehicle deployment across highways and selected urban roads by 2030.
Beijing plans tighter oversight of vehicle production, batteries, software updates and autonomous-driving safety.
Chinese policymakers want domestic automakers to gain sales scale and greater influence over global standards and markets.
China is setting the stage for large-scale deployment of autonomous vehicles by 2030 as Beijing links the technology with the next phase of its automotive industrial strategy.
A roadmap released by China’s industry ministry calls for vehicles equipped with self-driving capabilities to reach widespread deployment by the end of the decade. Automated driving is expected to be available on highways, urban expressways and designated roads within cities.
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Safety will be a central benchmark. The government wants autonomous vehicles to eventually achieve safety performance surpassing that of human drivers. These vehicles will also serve to reinforce the automotive sector’s importance to the Chinese economy.
The roadmap also extends beyond vehicle technology. China intends to help develop several domestic automakers in order for them to rank among the world’s 10 largest by sales. Policymakers want Chinese vehicle brands to gain greater international recognition while increasing the country’s influence over global automotive standards.
That international ambitions will be accompanied by additional regulations at home. Authorities plan tighter requirements covering vehicle manufacturing, road safety, autonomous-driving systems and software updates. China will also examine specialized approval processes for certain critical components and vehicles produced in limited volumes.
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Production capacity represents another focus. The ministry plans stronger monitoring of vehicle and battery manufacturing capacity, with measures intended to discourage excessive investment and remove inefficient operations. Industry consolidation will also be encouraged.
The plan also includes a competition policy. China wants to strengthen antitrust enforcement and product-quality oversight while promoting fairer market conditions. The roadmap also calls for action against inappropriate incentives offered by local governments, an issue tied to investment competition between regions.
For Chinese automakers expanding internationally, including BYD, Leapmotor, and Chery, authorities plan to issue guidelines to support regulatory compliance in overseas markets. This measure comes as Chinese vehicle manufacturers and suppliers increasingly compete outside their domestic market, with Canada among them.
The strategy does not rely exclusively on domestic companies, however. Beijing also wants Chinese and foreign businesses to deepen cooperation in vehicle and key-component research, investment and international expansion.
Source: Reuters
