As per the new national standard for advanced driving assistance systems in China, features like AEB will move from ‘optional’ to ‘standard’ for LCVs
Across the globe, there is an ongoing, concerted effort to reduce road accidents and prevent injuries and fatalities. While the widespread use of ADAS in passenger vehicles is commendable, there is a need to introduce such systems in commercial vehicles as well. The latter account for a significant share of overall road traffic, and accidents involving these vehicles are quite common. China is thinking along similar lines and has come up with a blueprint to make roads safer for everyone. Let’s check out the details.
AEB for LCVs in China
China’s first-ever safety mandates covering advanced driving assistance systems for LCVs have been mentioned in the “Technical Requirements and Test Methods for Automatic Emergency Braking Systems for Light Vehicles” (GB 39901—2025). This will come into force from January 1, 2028. It is worth noting that these safety mandates already cover M1 category passenger vehicles such as sedans, SUVs and MPVs.
The updated mandate will now cover N1 category light commercial vehicles as well. These include vehicles like pickup trucks, mini-trucks, etc., which have a gross vehicle weight of 3.5 tons. With LCVs included in the safety mandates, the coverage of automatic emergency braking systems has increased by around 30%. When implemented, the mandates can help reduce the overall road accident cases in China.
Enhanced safety for pedestrians, bicycles and two-wheelers
The new safety mandates for LCVs in China focus on vulnerable road users. These include pedestrians, bicycles, and scooters, which account for more than 30% of road accidents involving LCVs. As per the new safety mandates, the safety systems in LCVs should display warnings and also trigger the auto application of the brakes. Such systems should be calibrated to work effectively at speeds of 20 to 60 km/h.
Road accident data from China shows that a large number of accidents occur at speeds of 60 to 80 km/h. Automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems use sensors, cameras and millimetre-wave radars to scan the road and identify potential risks. If a threat is detected, a warning is issued to the driver to respond to the situation. The AEB also works to automatically apply the brakes to avoid a collision. AEB availability for passenger vehicles in China was more than 60% in 2025.
India working on similar mandates for commercial vehicles
In absolute numbers, road fatalities are highest in India. As such, it has become imperative to take strong measures to ensure the safety of road users. As per a Gazette notification issued by MoRTH last year, new models of trucks and buses, including school buses, will be required to have ADAS. Safety features that will be mandatory for such vehicles include automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and driver drowsiness alert.
These new rules are planned to come into force from October 2027. Relevant changes will be made in the Central Motor Vehicles Rules to accommodate these new safety standards. Other safety systems could also be made mandatory for commercial vehicles in the future.
