Overview
- China’s first batch of L3 product-access approvals announced on Dec. 15 covers two models for limited on-road pilots, with Changan operating in Chongqing and BAIC Arcfox in Beijing.
- Changan’s Deepal SL03 (SC7000AAARBEV) is cleared for single-lane automated driving up to 50 km/h on specified Chongqing routes including the Inner Ring expressways, New Inner Ring segments, and parts of Yudu Avenue.
- BAIC’s Arcfox Alpha S (BJ7001A61NBEV) may operate up to 80 km/h on designated Beijing highways including the Jingtai, Airport North Line, and Daxing Airport expressways.
- Officials stress that national product access differs from local road-test licenses—more than 16,000 of which have been issued—and does not permit consumer sales, with pilots conducted by manufacturers under strict conditions.
- Industry efforts continue: reports say Xiaomi holds a Beijing L3 road-test license though the cited annual report does not explicitly state L3, and Lantu says it has logged 110,000 km of real-world testing plus 900,000 km in simulation with a Wuhan test license.