CHANGAN has become China's first to receive approval for a Level 3 autonomous driving system, capable of real driving within a single lane on highways and expressways in designated areas of Chongqing, southwestern China.
On 15 Dec 2025 GMT+7, CHANGAN Automobile, a leader in low-carbon intelligent automotive technology, was approved to deploy a Level 3 autonomous driving system. It is among the first in China authorized to allow electric vehicles equipped with this autonomous driving capability to drive in a single lane on highways and expressways within designated areas in Chongqing, southwestern China.
Autonomous driving systems are classified into six levels, from 0 to 5. Level 3 falls under conditional automation, permitting vehicles to drive autonomously under specific conditions, though drivers must remain ready to take control when alerted by the system.
CHANGAN received certification after comprehensive validation of its Level 3 autonomous driving system, including over 5 million kilometers of real-world road testing. The tests covered 185 diverse driving scenarios, exceeding standard regulatory requirements by 49%, with extreme conditions accounting for 36% of the tests.
During testing, complex risk situations averaged about one occurrence every 38.9 kilometers driven. The system managed driving safely and adjusted operations efficiently within the designed operational conditions (ODC).
CHANGAN is also one of only two Chinese manufacturers to pass Level 3 autonomous driving evaluations, underscoring its leadership in the automotive industry with over four decades of experience. The achievement reflects CHANGAN’s focus on safety as a core principle while advancing towards truly intelligent mobility.
With self-developed autonomous driving technologies combined with SDA intelligence technology, CHANGAN leads in comprehensive automotive expertise—from design and development to production, real-world application, testing, and system readiness verification—continuously progressing to drive stable and safe technological advancement.
CHANGAN prioritizes a comprehensive safety system under the SDA intelligence Level 3 program, covering all stages from development to real-world driving. This system integrates software, hardware, and safety mechanisms.
It includes multi-dimensional testing and verification, quality assurance throughout processes, 24-hour safety monitoring, and contingency plans for risks or unexpected events to ensure safe and reliable driving in all situations.
CHANGAN’s Level 3 autonomous driving system guarantees engineering-level safety, integrating comprehensive safety requirements from system design and testing to actual road driving. The framework covers four main areas:
1. Functional safety during operation
2. Safety of intended functionality (SOTIF)
3. Vehicle cybersecurity and software security
4. User data security, ensuring the autonomous driving functions operate within clear and reliable boundaries.
Safety verification is conducted by the National Intelligent Automotive Safety Research Center and specialized intelligent driving laboratories. This includes large-scale scenario simulation, closed system testing, off-site testing, post-drive data feedback, and continuous safety monitoring, ensuring comprehensive validation from development through real-world road use.
For real driving safety, CHANGAN developed a stable safety monitoring platform with continuous operation exceeding 18 months, achieving 100% data accuracy and 100% successful safety alert transmissions. The platform continuously analyzes cyber and vehicle operational risks 24/7 via cloud systems.
This enables real-time status tracking, early risk warning, and coordinated response to incidents on the road, ensuring that Level 3 autonomous driving functions always operate within prescribed conditions during actual use.
CHANGAN’s advancement in Level 3 autonomous driving stems from long-term global technology development and research, operating R&D networks in six countries with ten sites and over 24,000 researchers from 31 countries.
Its infrastructure includes 44 technology R&D centers, 20 technology companies, and 180 laboratories. CHANGAN has invested more than 60 billion yuan in R&D and filed over 14,000 patents in the past three years, enabling agile and continuous development of intelligent driving technologies.
Additionally, on 10 Dec 2025 GMT+7, CHANGAN announced a milestone of producing its 30 millionth vehicle, marking its emergence as a global intelligent driving technology company. This milestone reinforces the company’s strength and ongoing foundation for the SDA intelligence smart driving project, committed to delivering the safest travel solutions for all.