China Bans ‘Autonomous Driving’ Claims From Car Marketing Following Crash

China has banned automakers in the country from marketing their vehicles with grandiose terms such as “smart driving” or “autonomous driving” following a fatal crash involving a Xiaomi SU7. The car was in driver assistance mode as the vehicle approached a construction zone, but the driver took control only just before the car hit a concrete barrier. Three passengers were killed in the accident. The problem with any assistance system below Level 4—in which a vehicle can operate entirely without human intervention—is that drivers are still required to pay attention to the road and intervene as needed, but complacency sets in. By the time the driver realizes that an accident might occur, it can be too late. It is the primary reason why Tesla and CEO Elon Musk have been criticized for rolling out autonomous driving capabilities with terms like “Autopilot” and “Full Self-Driving.” To protect itself from liability, Tesla now hedges in its language, referring to its most advanced system as “ ... Read full article.