Changan Secures Level 3 Autonomous Driving Approval in China

Chongqing, KOMPAS.com – Changan Automobile has become the first Chinese car brand to obtain product access approval for Autonomous Driving Level 3 (L3). The approval was granted by the China Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). Changan is among the first group of companies to secure a conditional autonomous driving licence in the country.

“This is a significant milestone, not only for the company but also for the development of the global automotive industry. It proves that the SDA-architecture based innovation developed by Changan has met the stringent safety standards and regulatory requirements,” Setiawan said in an official statement on Thursday, 5 March 2026.

He said the achievement also demonstrates the readiness of Changan’s technology to deliver future mobility. “We at Changan Indonesia are very proud and appreciative of this achievement, as it provides a strong foundation for delivering intelligent vehicle technology that is safe, reliable and relevant to Indonesian consumers in the future,” he added.

With this permit, one of Changan’s passenger cars can operate using Level 3 autonomous driving. The technology enables the car to drive autonomously in a single lane on selected toll roads and urban elevated roads in Chongqing, China. The system is designed to take control of the vehicle autonomously, especially in congested traffic conditions. The maximum speed limit is 50 km/h.

In the initial phase, the technology will be deployed on strategic routes such as the inner ring expressway and the new inner ring road in Chongqing.

Tested for millions of kilometres

Before obtaining the Autonomous Driving L3 licence, Changan had conducted real-world road tests totalling more than 5 million kilometres.