The rapid evolution of intelligent driving technology is reshaping our travel experiences at an unprecedented pace. Amidst this technological surge, however, concerns about safety and responsibility have emerged, posing significant challenges that we must address. Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and the Ministry of Public Security have held meetings and issued documents, outlining the direction for the development of intelligent driving and underscoring the paramount importance of safety and accountability.

According to the standard Classification for Driving Automation of Vehicles (GB/T 40429-2021), Levels 0-2 are classified as assisted driving, where the driver remains the primary operator. Levels 3-5, on the other hand, are autonomous driving. Currently, most intelligent driving features promoted by automakers on the market fall under Level 2 assisted driving. Drivers must be aware that assisted driving ≠ autonomous driving and, when using these features, must maintain control of the vehicle and stay alert to road conditions. Neglecting this can lead to administrative penalties, civil compensation, and even criminal liability.

The First Department of Equipment Industry of the MIIT organized a meeting to advance the product access and software online upgrade management of intelligent and connected vehicles. The meeting emphasized that automakers must thoroughly conduct combined assisted driving tests and validation, clearly define system function boundaries and safety response measures, refrain from exaggeration and false advertising, and strictly fulfill their obligation to inform. Companies are urged to regulate their marketing and promotional activities, provide consumers with accurate and comprehensive information, and ensure that consumers understand and use intelligent and connected vehicle products correctly. Concurrently, drivers should enhance their traffic safety awareness, correctly understand and use intelligent and connected vehicle products, and ensure driving safety.

The Road Traffic Safety Research Center of the Ministry of Public Security issued a document emphasizing that assisted driving is not synonymous with autonomous driving, and drivers should use it cautiously. The document notes that, despite differences in naming among automakers, the technical characteristics of their intelligent driving systems all fall under Level 2 of China's Classification for Driving Automation of Vehicles. Drivers must maintain a high sense of responsibility and understand that they are ultimately responsible for traffic safety during assisted driving. In the event of an accident, the driver will bear primary responsibility and be liable for civil compensation. If the accident results in casualties or significant property damage, it may also constitute a crime of causing traffic accidents, leading to criminal liability.

Regarding legal responsibilities related to misleading advertising by automakers, Article 28 of the Advertising Law of the People's Republic of China stipulates that if automakers fabricate or exaggerate assisted driving functions through advertisements or promotional materials, misleading consumers into purchasing, the market regulatory department can impose fines of 5-10 times the advertising expenses for false advertising, and revoke the business license in serious cases. If false advertising leads to severe consequences, such as traffic accidents causing casualties, it may violate Article 222 of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China, punishable by a fixed-term imprisonment of not more than two years or criminal detention, along with a fine.

Regarding drivers' abuse of assisted driving, the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China and its implementing regulations state that motor vehicle drivers are always responsible for the safety of vehicle operation. If a driver fails to observe road conditions, predict risks, and take over control in a timely manner while using assisted driving functions, engaging in "hands-off, eyes-off" behavior, the traffic management department will impose fines and demerit points according to the law. If an accident occurs, the driver will bear primary responsibility and be liable for civil compensation. If the accident results in casualties or significant property damage, it may also constitute a crime of causing traffic accidents, leading to criminal liability.

Current Status and Issues of Intelligent Driving Technology

Intelligent driving technology is in a rapid development phase, with various automakers introducing various assisted driving features such as adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, and automatic parking. However, some automakers overstate the capabilities of assisted driving to attract consumers, using terms like "autonomous driving" and "advanced intelligent driving," misleading consumers into believing that the vehicles already possess full autonomous driving capabilities. This false advertising not only violates relevant laws and regulations but may also lead to dangerous driving behaviors such as hands-off driving and distracted driving, seriously threatening road traffic safety.

Furthermore, intelligent driving technology itself presents some challenges. The reliability of the technology still needs improvement. In complex road conditions and special weather conditions, the perception and decision-making capabilities of intelligent driving systems may be limited, causing the system to fail to correctly recognize the road environment or make reasonable driving decisions. The safety of intelligent driving systems also needs enhancement. The systems may face security risks such as hacker attacks and data breaches, posing a serious threat to the lives and property of passengers.

The Importance of Regulating Intelligent Driving Promotion

Regulating the promotion of intelligent driving is crucial for protecting consumer rights and road traffic safety. The First Department of Equipment Industry of the MIIT, in its meeting on product access and software online upgrade management of intelligent and connected vehicles, clearly requires automakers to refrain from exaggeration or false advertising, strictly fulfill their obligation to inform, and take responsibility for production consistency, quality, and safety. This helps consumers correctly understand the actual functions and limitations of intelligent driving technology, preventing dangerous behaviors due to misunderstandings.

Regulating promotion also promotes the healthy development of intelligent driving technology. By standardizing promotional language, prohibiting terms like "automatic, autonomous, intelligent driving, advanced intelligent driving," and replacing them with "combined assisted driving," and avoiding descriptions like "hands-off, eyes-off," consumers can more clearly understand the true level of intelligent driving technology, guiding them to make rational choices and use intelligent driving vehicles safely. This also helps establish a positive industry image and enhances consumer trust and confidence in intelligent driving technology.

Safety Responsibility and Technical Safeguard Measures for Intelligent Driving

The safety responsibility for intelligent driving involves multiple entities, including automakers, drivers, and regulatory authorities.

As producers of intelligent driving vehicles, automakers bear the primary safety responsibility. They must ensure the quality and safety of their products, manufacture them in accordance with relevant standards and regulations, and conduct rigorous testing and validation. Additionally, automakers should strengthen consumer education and training, providing detailed product usage instructions and safety precautions to help consumers correctly understand and use intelligent driving features.

As the actual operators of vehicles, drivers should also bear corresponding safety responsibilities. When using intelligent driving features, drivers must always maintain control of the vehicle and stay alert to road conditions, not relying solely on the system's autonomous driving capabilities. They must strictly abide by traffic rules, reasonably use intelligent driving features, and ensure driving safety.

Regulatory authorities should strengthen supervision over intelligent driving vehicles, formulate and improve relevant laws, regulations, and standards to ensure the safety, reliability, and sustainable development of intelligent driving technology. This includes strengthening supervision over automakers' promotional activities, severely cracking down on false advertising and misleading consumer behavior; strengthening safety inspection and access management of intelligent driving vehicles to ensure that only products that meet safety standards enter the market; and strengthening road inspections of intelligent driving vehicles to promptly identify and address potential safety hazards.

To ensure the safety of intelligent driving, a series of technical safeguard measures are also necessary. For example, improving the perception and decision-making capabilities of intelligent driving systems by continuously optimizing algorithms and enhancing sensor performance to improve the system's adaptability to complex road conditions and special weather conditions; strengthening the security design of intelligent driving systems by adopting encryption technology, firewalls, and other means to prevent system attacks and data breaches; establishing a comprehensive fault diagnosis and emergency response mechanism for intelligent driving systems to promptly issue alerts and take corresponding emergency measures when system failures occur, ensuring the safety of vehicles and passengers.

AI Networks and Vehicle-Road-Cloud for Intelligent Driving Safety

With the development of intelligent driving technology, the application of AI networks and vehicle-road-cloud technology provides new safeguards for intelligent driving safety.

AI network technology, with its powerful data processing and analysis capabilities, provides more precise perception and decision support for intelligent driving systems. For example, utilizing deep learning algorithms, AI networks can analyze road environments and traffic conditions in real-time, predict potential dangers in advance, and make reasonable driving decisions. At the same time, AI networks can continuously learn and optimize to improve the system's adaptability and reliability, enabling it to operate stably even in complex road conditions and special weather conditions.

Vehicle-road-cloud technology provides more comprehensive safety guarantees for intelligent driving through real-time communication and coordination between vehicles, vehicles, and infrastructure. For example, the vehicle-road-cloud system can transmit information on road conditions and traffic signals in real-time, helping intelligent driving systems understand road conditions in advance and make corresponding adjustments. Additionally, vehicle-road-cloud technology can enable coordinated driving among vehicles, improving traffic efficiency and safety.

Case Studies on Intelligent Driving Safety and Responsibility

Several recent traffic accidents caused by drivers' misuse of assisted driving features have highlighted the seriousness of intelligent driving safety and responsibility issues.

Case 1: On December 4, 2024, on the Ningbo-Dongguan Expressway at kilometer 75, a small new energy vehicle crashed into a construction area, narrowly missing workers. An investigation revealed that the driver, unfamiliar with the road conditions, turned on the "assisted driving" function and kept looking at their phone, ultimately leading to the accident.

Case 2: On the same day, in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, a traffic accident occurred due to the use of assisted driving features after drinking alcohol. The driver activated the "assisted driving" function after drinking and fell asleep while driving at high speed, causing the vehicle to crash into the safety island of the Liuhe East Toll Station. The vehicle was severely damaged and overturned, with flames erupting at the scene.

Case 3: On March 16, 2025, on the Wuhan-Shenzhen Expressway at kilometer 646, a traffic accident occurred when a small new energy vehicle veered to the right and crashed into the mountainside. An investigation revealed that the driver was distracted after activating the vehicle's "assisted driving" function. When the vehicle deviated from its direction, the driver's improper operation during the hurried takeover ultimately led to the accident.

Case 4: On March 19, 2025, on the Daqing-Guangzhou Expressway in Xinyang at kilometer 2297, a small new energy vehicle overturned during driving, causing severe damage. An investigation revealed that the driver, feeling tired after a long drive, activated the vehicle's "assisted driving" function. However, when exiting the tunnel, the vehicle deviated from its direction, and the driver failed to notice the abnormality in time, leading to a delayed takeover and ultimately causing the overturn.

Case 5: On March 29, 2025, a traffic accident unfolded on the Dezhou-Shangrao Expressway, specifically in the Chi-Qi section, when a small new energy vehicle collided with the end of the central isolation barrier guardrail and caught fire while in motion. According to reports, the road segment was closed for construction, necessitating vehicles to utilize the opposing lane. The driver had engaged the "assisted driving" feature, and four seconds prior to the accident, the vehicle detected an anomalous road condition and issued a warning. Despite the driver's subsequent attempt to regain control, the accident could not be averted.

These incidents highlight that drivers' misconceptions and improper utilization of assisted driving functions are significant contributors to traffic accidents. Drivers often confuse assisted driving with autonomous driving, leading them to relax their vigilance once the assisted driving functions are activated. This relaxation may prompt dangerous behaviors such as phone usage, sleeping, or chatting, thereby relinquishing effective control of the vehicle. Such actions not only contravene road traffic safety laws and regulations but also pose a grave threat to the safety of other road users. Therefore, reinforcing safety education for drivers and enhancing their comprehension of assisted driving functions are pivotal in ensuring the safety of intelligent driving.

Future Development Trends and Safety Responsibility Outlook for Intelligent Driving

With the unceasing advancement of intelligent driving technology and the refinement of pertinent regulations, the future trajectory of intelligent driving will prioritize the harmony between safety and responsibility. Below is an analysis of the forthcoming development trends and safety responsibility outlook for intelligent driving:

Balancing Technological Innovation with Safety Enhancement. In the years to come, intelligent driving technology will strive for both technological innovation and safety enhancement. Automotive manufacturers will augment investments in research and development in domains such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and sensor technology. This will continuously elevate the perception, decision-making, and control capabilities of intelligent driving systems, thereby achieving higher levels of autonomous driving functionality. For instance, by refining algorithms and enhancing sensor performance, the system's adaptability to intricate road conditions and specific weather scenarios will improve, mitigating misjudgments and missed detections. Additionally, leveraging the Internet of Vehicles technology will facilitate real-time communication and coordination among vehicles, infrastructure, and other entities, enhancing traffic efficiency and safety.

Refining and Unifying Regulations and Standards. To keep pace with the rapid evolution of intelligent driving technology, pertinent regulations and standards will continue to be refined and unified. Governments will intensify oversight of intelligent driving vehicles, formulating more detailed, stringent, and enforceable laws and regulations. These regulations will clarify provisions regarding safety requirements, responsibility division, access conditions, testing norms, data management, and other facets of intelligent driving vehicles, ensuring the healthy and orderly progression of intelligent driving technology.

Diversifying and Clarifying Safety Responsibilities. As intelligent driving technology becomes more pervasive, safety responsibilities will exhibit a trend towards diversification and clarification. Beyond automotive manufacturers and drivers, entities such as suppliers of intelligent driving systems, software developers, and infrastructure operators will also bear safety responsibilities. The boundaries of responsibility among these entities will become more delineated, with rights and obligations of all parties being explicitly outlined through contracts, agreements, and other mechanisms, forming a comprehensive safety responsibility framework.

Enhancing Consumer Awareness and Education. Consumers' comprehension and perception of intelligent driving technology will directly influence the market acceptance and safety of intelligent driving vehicles. Therefore, intensifying education and training for consumers, improving their understanding and safety awareness of intelligent driving technology, is a critical task for the future development of intelligent driving. Automotive manufacturers, industry associations, media, and other stakeholders should collaborate to disseminate knowledge about the basic principles, functional attributes, usage methods, and safety precautions of intelligent driving technology to consumers through various channels and methods. This will guide consumers in understanding and using intelligent driving vehicles correctly.

In summation, the future evolution of intelligent driving technology will revolve around safety and responsibility. By emphasizing both technological innovation and safety enhancement, refining and unifying regulations and standards, diversifying and clarifying safety responsibilities, and enhancing consumer awareness and education, the safe, reliable, and sustainable development of intelligent driving technology will be achieved. This will foster a more convenient, efficient, and secure travel environment for individuals.