A total of 11 automakers issued a joint initiative on the safety of smart assisted driving on Sunday, calling for stricter industry standards and transparency in autonomous driving technologies.The carmakers include GAC, SAIC, JAC, Audi, Dongfeng M-Hero, Voyah, Deepal, BAIC, Avatr, Seres and Chery.Notably, Audi is the sole international automaker among the signatories, which also include Chinese state-backed brands and EV startups.The initiative, led by Huawei, emphasizes four points as follows:1.
Technology investment: Prioritizing R-D to enhance vehicle safety systems.2.
Transparent marketing: Clearly defining the capabilities and limitations of assisted driving features to curb misleading claims.3.
User education: Launching training programs to improve driver awareness and proper system usage.4.
Standardization: Collaborating across the industry to strengthen safety regulations.The announcement builds on an April 21 joint proposal by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) and the China Society of Automotive Engineers, which urged automakers to avoid exaggerated marketing, clarify system boundaries and ensure users understand that assisted driving is not equivalent to full autonomy.A car accident on March 29 marks the first major accident involving Xiaomi's SU7 sedan, which has outsold Tesla's Model 3 monthly since December 2024.Xiaomi founder Lei Jun vowed the company would do its best to "respond to the concerns of families and society."