China's court sets a new precedent that drivers remain responsible even with autonomous driving technology, following serious accidents caused by improper use of such systems.
Foreign news agencies reported on Saturday, 14 Feb 2026 GMT+7, that China's Supreme Court confirmed that humans inside vehicles equipped with driving assistance technology must be responsible for their vehicles. This sets a nationwide standard while Beijing positions itself as a leader in automotive market regulation.
In its ruling, the court cited a case from the previous year in which a man relied on the technology to control the car while he was drunk and asleep behind the wheel.
Chinese tech companies and automakers have invested billions of dollars in autonomous driving technology, competing against each other as well as rivals in the US and Europe.
However, Beijing has tightened safety regulations following a major accident in March last year.
On Friday (13 Feb), China's Supreme Court stated in a “case study” that drivers remain responsible for ensuring road safety even after activating driving assistance functions.
The referenced case is a September 2025 GMT+7 ruling from Zhejiang province in southern China, where a driver surnamed Wang was jailed and fined for relying fully on driving assistance while intoxicated.
The court noted that Mr. Wang installed a device to simulate holding the steering wheel, set the car to drive itself, and then fell asleep in the passenger seat. Fortunately, his car stopped in the middle of the road before police arrived.
“Driving assistance systems cannot replace the driver as the primary operator,” the Supreme People's Court stated in its Friday ruling, adding that the driver "remains the actual operator responsible for ensuring driving safety."
This Supreme Court ruling establishes a nationwide legal standard, requiring lower courts to reference it in similar cases.
Previously, the Chinese government warned leading automakers that safety regulations would be strictly enforced after an accident involving Xiaomi's electric SU7 vehicle struck a concrete barrier at a construction site in Anhui province in March 2025 GMT+7, resulting in a fire that killed three people.
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Source:cna