China's booming auto industry is moving beyond product competition as automakers increasingly prioritize unified safety standards for intelligent driving systems. The sector is transitioning toward a technology-driven growth model built around standardization and long-term scalability.
Huawei's automotive unit, Qiankun, has partnered with 11 major Chinese carmakers to launch the "Intelligent Assisted Driving Safety Initiative." Though not legally enforceable, the initiative lays out concrete proposals to accelerate R&D, improve marketing transparency, enhance driver education, and establish shared safety standards.
As reported by the South China Morning Post, executives from 11 firms—including GAC Group, SAIC Motor, JAC Motors, Audi China, Dongfeng Mengshi, Voyah, Deepal, BAIC Group, Avatr Technology, Seres, and Chery—jointly signed the proposal in formal support.
Conspicuously missing from the signatories is Xiaomi, which has faced scrutiny following a string of fatal accidents involving its vehicles. Launched in 2024, Huawei's Qiankun business is now central to the company's transition into a key systems supplier for China's expanding EV ecosystem.
The initiative is seen as a strategic move by Huawei to counter Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) push, positioning Qiankun as a serious contender in China's autonomous driving landscape.
Huawei's standardization ambitions laid bare
According to CLS and Sina, the joint safety initiative outlines four core principles:
1. Technology first: Ongoing investment in foundational intelligent driving technologies, aimed at strengthening active safety features and meeting rigorous automotive-grade safety requirements.
2. Transparent marketing: A call for truthful promotion practices that clearly communicate the limitations and operating conditions of assisted driving systems to prevent consumer confusion.
3. User-centric training: Huawei and its partners plan to introduce an "Intelligent Assisted Driving Safety Training Camp," featuring simulation-based learning and real-time risk alerts to help drivers grasp system boundaries and usage best practices.
4. Co-building safety standards: The initiative urges industry-wide collaboration to establish unified safety protocols across all speeds, directions, target types, weather conditions, and real-world driving scenarios.
The initiative stresses that intelligent driving progress must be grounded in user safety and public trust, not driven solely by technological achievement.
Regulatory pressure reshapes industry language
With assisted driving technologies becoming more sophisticated, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has stepped up regulatory scrutiny. In early April 2025, MIIT convened 60 automotive firms, banning misleading marketing terms such as "intelligent driving," "advanced intelligent driving," and "autonomous driving."
At Auto Shanghai 2025, many automakers and tech companies adjusted their messaging, replacing phrases like "fully autonomous" with more conservative alternatives such as "navigation on autopilot (NOA)" and "advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS)." The language shift reflects a broader industry pivot from hype to pragmatic rollout and user-focused communication.
Huawei added that it will continue developing user training programs with its partners to help drivers better understand system limits and reduce the risk of misuse.
Article edited by Jerry Chen
