China has ramped up support for development and regulation of autonomous driving, aiming to enhance safety, promote innovation, and ensure the orderly progress of the industry, an official from the Ministry of Public Security said at a press briefing on Tuesday.

Wang Qiang, director general of the Traffic Management Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, speaks at a press conference in Beijing on Aug. 27, 2024. [Photo by Xu Xiang/China SCIO]

Wang Qiang, director general of the Traffic Management Bureau at the Ministry of Public Security, said that the ministry is fully committed to protecting the rights of drivers and passengers while adapting to the rapid advancements in autonomous driving technology. 

So far, China has issued 16,000 licenses for testing autonomous vehicles and opened 32,000 kilometers of public roads for testing, which have been a significant support for the validation and iteration of autonomous driving technologies, he said.

Wang said the ministry has collaborated with industry regulators to create a comprehensive management system that covers all aspects of autonomous vehicle operation — from road testing and demonstrations to market access and road use.

In addition, the ministry is actively pushing for the revisions of the Law on Road Traffic Safety and relevant technical standards. 

Going forward, the Ministry of Public Security will continue to balance development with safety, promote the safe, orderly, and steady progress of the autonomous driving industry and drive the transformation and upgrading of the entire automotive industry, thereby contributing to China's high-quality economic development, Wang said.