China announces first batch of L3 autonomous driving vehicle type approvals; higher-level intelligent driving penetration rate expected to continue rising.

On December 15, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology officially announced China’s first batch of L3 conditional autonomous driving vehicle type approvals. Two models, adapted for urban congestion and highway scenarios respectively, will be piloted in designated areas of Beijing and Chongqing. This marks a critical step for L3 autonomous driving in China, transitioning from the testing phase to commercial application.

Similarly, on December 14 local time, Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated that Tesla’s Robotaxi is testing the removal of safety drivers to achieve truly driverless passenger transport.

The CICC research report pointed out that thanks to continuous efforts by independent brands such as BYD and Geely, as well as contributions from third-party intelligent driving suppliers like YuanRong and Huawei, the penetration rate of advanced intelligent driving is gradually increasing. By September 2025, the urban NOA (Navigate on Autopilot) penetration rate has exceeded 15%, while the highway NOA penetration rate has surpassed 30%. The intelligent driving penetration rate in 2025 is expected to follow a low-to-high trend, with growth continuing into 2026, when the penetration rate of advanced intelligent driving will surpass 40%.

According to the Cailian Press thematic database, among related listed companies:

NavInfo is currently focusing on the main track of automotive intelligence, with intelligent driving at its core, integrating chips, cockpits, data, and other cost-effective hardware-software combination solutions. At the same time, the company has deepened cooperation with leading internet companies such as Didi and Meituan in areas like mapping and positioning.

Wanma Technology has established the RoboX comprehensive solution team, focusing on unmanned taxi and low-speed unmanned logistics vehicle scenarios.