(Feb 13): China is taking aim at stripped-down, screen-dominated car interiors favoured by the likes of Tesla Inc and Xiaomi Corp, requiring that essential safety functions be controlled by physical switches or buttons. Beyond the dashboard, China’s government is codifying safety expectations for high-level driver-assistance technology. A mandatory standard for Level 3 and Level 4 automated driving systems stipulates that these vehicles must demonstrate a safety level at least equivalent to a “competent and attentive human driver”. At these levels of automation, the car can handle all driving tasks, though at Level 3 the driver must be ready to take control if alerted. The proposed regulations also introduce a “safety case” requirement, requiring manufacturers to provide structured, documented evidence that their systems can handle both daily driving and critical high-risk scenarios.

Source: The Edge Markets February 13, 2026 09:53 UTC