The Chinese government has made a courageous regulatory move. It has prohibited all automotive advertising that includes the phrase “autonomous driving”, “self-driving” and “smart driving”. Intensified examination of the use and promotion of driver-assistance systems prompted this decision. For the first time, automakers have a renewed and enforceable crackdown on how they market these features to consumers. A meeting between government officials and industry representatives led to the announcement, with Reuters reporting on the ban through a transcript of the discussions.
As a result of the newly released regulation, Tesla has renamed its “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) software in China. We call it Intelligent Assisted Driving now. The creative shift is all about adjusting to fulfill the government’s advertising restrictions. Yet at the same time, it shows off the remarkable capabilities of the driver-assistance system’s technology. Contrary to the implication of the FSD system’s name, that’s not how it operates. Given advances in automation, human involvement will be critical to ensuring the technology is deployed safely and effectively.
The urgency for this regulatory step was highlighted by a series of near-fatal crashes tied to driver-assistance technology in recent months. One such high profile case was that of a Xiaomi Su7 smart electric sedan bursting into flames after colliding with a power pole. According to reports, the driver retook control from the Advanced Driver-Assistance System (ADAS) mere seconds before the incident occurred. This incident should make us all question the reliability and safety of these technologies.
Tesla opened the door to the future of vehicles being fully integrated with wireless software updates. This ability is immensely important to remain competitive in the rapidly changing automotive landscape. These updates let automakers improve or fix features without needing to make hardware changes, creating a better experience over time. Tesla’s trailblazing in this realm has created a necessary precedent, prompting all manufacturers to follow suit and go to market in this way.
The Chinese government’s recent move to ban crude or sexual terminology or imagery in advertisements reflects this stronger commitment to consumer protection and safety. By regulating how automakers advertise their driver-assistance features, authorities aim to prevent potential misunderstandings regarding the capabilities of these technologies. The purpose of this recent crackdown is to protect consumers by disclosing the truth. That’s why it’s included in this larger trend to bring attention to the weaknesses of these systems.
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