China Reviews Draft Traffic Law Revisions Clarifying Automaker Liability for Autonomous Vehicles

China's top legislature has begun reviewing a major draft revision to the Road Traffic Safety Law, establishing the first national-level legal framework for autonomous driving liabilities. Under the proposed draft submitted to the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress, vehicle manufacturers and importers will be held accountable for traffic violations that occur while autonomous driving systems are actively engaged. The comprehensive revision also targets long-standing traffic issues, including electric bicycle regulation, distracted driving, and unregistered vehicles, while introducing administrative convenience measures for the public.

The legislative update addresses a critical legal gap in China's rapidly expanding intelligent connected vehicle sector. By explicitly defining the legal liabilities of automakers during autonomous mode operation, the draft provides regulatory clarity necessary for commercializing advanced autonomous driving technologies. At the same time, it modernizes traffic enforcement across urban pain points ranging from micromobility to pedestrian group activities.

China's top legislature has begun reviewing a comprehensive draft revision of the Road Traffic Safety Law, introducing nationwide legal standards for autonomous driving and tackling emerging urban transit challenges, according to state media reports. The draft revision was submitted for initial review to the 24th session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress on August 25. First enacted in 2004, the law underwent minor amendments in 2007, 2011, and 2021. The latest proposed overhaul comprises nine chapters and 170 articles, representing the most substantial restructuring of the statute in more than two decades. A central highlight of the revision is a dedicated chapter establishing special provisions for autonomous vehicles. The draft outlines operational road-access conditions, mandatory insurance frameworks, and violation-handling principles for self-driving vehicles. Crucially, the draft clarifies that when a traffic safety violation occurs while an autonomous driving system is actively engaged, the vehicle manufacturer or importer will be held responsible and subject to regulatory handling. The draft also establishes a clear boundary between autonomous operation and assisted driving. Vehicles with inactive autonomous features, as well as vehicles equipped solely with driver-assistance systems, will remain governed under standard regulations for conventional motor vehicles, leaving operational responsibility with the driver. Beyond smart mobility, the legislative package systematically updates enforcement mechanisms for persistent road safety concerns. Targeted provisions focus on drunk driving, distracted or obstructed driving, abandoned "zombie cars," and non-compliant or substandard vehicles. The draft also refines regulatory measures for electric bicycles and organized pedestrian groups, known locally as "fast-walking teams," while introducing broader administrative convenience measures to streamline public transit services.