AEB (Automatic Emergency Braking) systems for light-duty vehicles will be part of China’s newly issued mandatory national standard for automotive driver assistance systems, which will take effect on 1 January 2028. Titled GB 39901—2025, the standard expands China’s existing passenger vehicle AEB requirements from M1 category passenger vehicles (sedans, SUVs, MPVs) to include N1 category light commercial vehicles with gross vehicle weights up to 3.5 tons, which means vehicles such as pickup trucks and mini-trucks will be included in the standard. This standard expansion marks the transition for equipping AEB systems from optional to mandatory and effectively increases the scope covered by the regulation by approximately 30%.
AEB systems monitor the driving environment in front of the vehicle in real time, utilizing sensors such as cameras and millimetre-wave radars. It issues warning signals when collision risks increase before automatically activating the vehicle's braking system to decelerate. This is vital as incidents occurring at 60 to 80 km/h make up a significant proportion of the severe outcomes in traffic accidents in China.
The new standard aims to enhance safety as collisions with pedestrians, bicycles, and scooters account for over 30% of all light vehicle traffic accidents in China. To achieve this, the standard adds recognition and testing requirements specifically for three types of targets: pedestrians, bicycles, and scooters and specifies that the AEB systems must provide warnings and braking responses to vulnerable road users crossing the road within the speed range of 20 to 60 km/h.
China’s massive EV boost and rapid automotive electrification transition has given the country an advantage to support this mandate as many Chinese EV makers have already included AEBs as part of their standard package. According to IITHome, 60% of Chinese vehicles are already equipped with AEB systems in 2025, while a report by MIIT stated that 64% of Chinese vehicles have combined driver assistance functions, which includes AEB systems.
The GB 39901—2025 standard mandates passenger vehicles and multi-purpose vehicles must be capable of activating their AEB systems within the 10-80 km/h speed range. It must be noted that while AEB systems can help in moments of emergency, they still have inherent limitations and drivers must still be alert and active in controlling their vehicle. EV maker Nio Inc has also introduced AI-optimized AEB functionality in a July 2024 software update. Other automakers have also optimized their AEB to enable activation at speeds as high as 150 km/h.
Discussion about this post