Core Viewpoint - The year 2025 is widely regarded as the "Year of Universal Intelligent Driving," with major automotive companies entering the smart driving market and applying advanced driving technologies to basic models. However, issues such as over-reliance on "assisted driving" by drivers and ambiguous marketing by some companies are negatively impacting industry development [1][3]. Group 1: Regulatory Developments - The Ministry of Public Security clarified that current "smart driving" systems in the market do not possess "autonomous driving" capabilities and that drivers remain the ultimate responsible party [2]. - The Ministry of Science and Technology released ethical guidelines for the research and development of driving automation technology, emphasizing that responsibility lies with human drivers in the advanced driver assistance phase [2]. Group 2: Industry Response - The statements from the two departments indicate a strong commitment to ensuring safety while encouraging technological advancement, aiming to establish a clear responsibility mechanism for industry development [3]. - Various government departments have called for an end to exaggerated and misleading marketing practices in the intelligent driving sector, urging companies to clearly define system functionalities and safety measures [3][4]. Group 3: Market Changes - Automotive sales personnel have become more cautious in discussing autonomous driving, with some customers inquiring about legal responsibilities and requesting written commitments from companies [4]. - Companies are increasingly recognizing that safety is fundamental to the advancement of intelligent driving technology, with a shift towards transparent marketing practices that clearly outline system limitations and emergency measures [4].

Core Viewpoint - The intelligent driving industry in China is undergoing a significant transformation due to "strong regulation," shifting from unregulated growth to a new phase of safety and control [1] Group 1: Regulatory Developments - The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology organized a meeting to discuss the management of intelligent connected vehicle product access and software online upgrades, emphasizing the need for compliance with new regulations [1] - The meeting highlighted the importance of conducting thorough testing and validation of driving assistance systems, ensuring that companies take responsibility for product safety and quality [1][3] Group 2: Safety Concerns - The rapid market adoption of driving assistance features like NOA has raised safety concerns, as the technology's maturity does not match market enthusiasm, leading to accidents due to driver misuse [2][4] - There is a growing issue of consumer misunderstanding regarding the capabilities of driving assistance systems, with some drivers confusing them with fully autonomous driving, resulting in increased accident rates [2][4] Group 3: Marketing and Advertising Regulations - The new regulations require companies to provide accurate and comprehensive information about the capabilities and limitations of their intelligent driving products, prohibiting misleading advertising [3][4] - Companies are warned against using terms that imply their systems can operate as fully autonomous vehicles, which could lead to consumer over-reliance and misuse [4][5] Group 4: Legal Implications - Violations of advertising laws regarding the exaggeration of driving assistance capabilities can lead to severe penalties, including fines and potential imprisonment for responsible parties [6][7] - The legal framework emphasizes that drivers must maintain responsibility for vehicle operation, especially as most vehicles on the market currently only offer Level 2 assistance [8][9]