On 27 May 2026 the Equipment Industry Development Centre of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology released the 2026 automotive standardisation work points. Under the “standards-led action in emerging fields” column, the points make intelligent connected vehicle standards a priority, calling for the release and implementation of mandatory national standards for autonomous driving systems and for autonomous-driving simulation test methods, the review and submission of standards on test scenarios and integrated positioning, public consultation on a mandatory national standard for automatic parking systems, and progress on important-data identification.
From testing to market access: where the standards sit
Autonomous driving has long sat at the “testing and verification” stage, with standards mostly recommended and guidance-oriented. What changed here is that several key standards are being pushed to “mandatory” and “release and implementation” — the mandatory national standards for autonomous driving systems and automatic parking systems are examples.
The difference between mandatory and recommended standards lies not in wording but in effect. Once a mandatory national standard is in force, products entering the market must comply, or face access barriers. This marks a shift for autonomous driving from “can it be tested” to “can it be admitted to market”, with standards becoming part of the market threshold.
Mandatory standards and the liability boundary for carmakers
A second meaning of mandatory standards is the narrowing and clarification of liability boundaries. Standards set a uniform safety and performance baseline: a carmaker that meets them can generally argue it has exercised due care, whereas deviation tends to place it at a disadvantage in accident findings.
For carmakers this means less freedom in safety design but a predictable compliance basis. Standards are both a constraint and a foundation for defence. This aligns with the direction of “AI Plus Transportation”, as we reviewed in our piece on the AI Plus Transportation action plan.
Simulation testing and test-scenario standards
The points call for the release and implementation of autonomous-driving simulation test methods and the review and submission of standards on test scenarios and integrated positioning. Simulation and test-scenario standards answer the question of “how to verify”.
For autonomous driving, real-vehicle testing is costly and limited in coverage; simulation is a key means of widening verification. But whether simulation conclusions are accepted by regulators and courts depends on whether the methods are standardised. Once the standards land, companies’ test data and verification conclusions gain a more stable evidentiary basis.
Important-data identification: the data compliance that cannot be avoided
The points also mention progress on important-data identification. Intelligent connected vehicles are data-intensive products — cameras, radar and positioning modules continuously collect data inside and outside the vehicle, which may include personal information and may involve important data such as road environments.
Identifying and protecting important data is a foundational step in data compliance. Without clear identification, later classification, security assessment and cross-border arrangements cannot begin, as discussed in our piece on the network data security risk assessment measures. As vehicle data scales up and circulates across entities, personal information protection duties also rise markedly, as covered in our piece on new obligations for major personal information processors.
Contractual arrangements for liability and data
Standards answer whether a product complies, but not how liability is divided among multiple parties. Intelligent connected vehicles involve OEMs, software and algorithm suppliers, mapping and positioning providers and cloud service providers, and the division of accident liability, the boundaries of data provision and use, and IP ownership all need to be arranged in advance in cooperation contracts; for support see our Commercial Contracts and Data Compliance services.
This article is based on public information from the 2026 automotive standardisation work points released by the Equipment Industry Development Centre of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on 27 May 2026. It is for reference only and does not constitute legal advice.