China is reportedly to soon issue license plates for autonomous vehicles, according to Chinese media reports. The means Level 3 autonomous driving could soon be allowed to hit the road in China.
Level 3 autonomous driving is a big leap from Level 2. Drivers will be allowed to take their hands off the steering wheel and feet off the pedals but need to be ready at all times to take over the vehicle when the driving system requests them to.
Sources at suppliers said laws concerning driving data and cybersecurity are being established in Europe, the US and China. It suggests that these countries are building up a proper environment to accommodate the latest technology. Europe has said data generated by vehicles should be kept from exporting outside the EU. China has strict rules against vehicle software updates via OTA without permission from the authority.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently finalized the first occupant protection safety standards to allow for self-driving vehicles without traditional manual controls such as a steering wheel, even though it may be still years away for such vehicles to go on sale.
Sources said suppliers are of the opinion that carmakers will start making cars with Level 2.5 next year.
