Chongqing - Changan Auto confirms 17 of its L3-level autonomous vehicles have completed a successful 34-day road test as of December 21.

On November 17, Changan Auto obtained the L3-level autonomous driving road test license for highway and expressway operations, making it the first company in China to acquire such a license for this level of public road testing.

Changan Deepal SL03 became the first vehicle in China to test the L3-level autonomous driving expressway road test. (Photo/Changan Auto)

According to the widely accepted classification standards for autonomous driving proposed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), the L3 level corresponds to Conditional Automation. Vehicles meeting this level can handle the majority of driving tasks but require driver readiness for control. Tesla's leading FSD technology aligns with this L3 category.

Changan Auto conducted L3-level autonomous driving road tests on the Inner Ring Expressway in Chongqing. This 74.1 km route covers complex scenarios such as construction zones, steep slopes, continuous curves, bridges, tunnels, and ramp merging. 

Additionally, regarded as the urban rote and marked by heavy traffic and peak hour congestion, this provides a challenging test for autonomous driving technology, mirroring real-world commuting conditions.

A source from Changan said that the vehicle, Deepal SL03, featuring an L3-level traffic congestion autonomous driving system, received the autonomous driving test license. The company aims to further test its autonomous vehicles in Chongqing's challenging mountainous areas, gearing up for a future market launch of L3-level autonomous features.

In mid-November, four Chinese government departments jointly issued a notice regarding the pilot work on the admission and on-road operation of intelligent connected vehicles, specifying requirements for L3/L4 autonomous driving admission. This indicates clear policy support and responsibility definition for advanced autonomous driving in China.

Changan Auto initiated the development of autonomous driving verification capabilities as early as 2013. Currently, it has accumulated support for the delivery of two million vehicles equipped with smart driving functions, covering a total distance of over 20 billion kilometers. The commencement of L3-level autonomous vehicle road testing in Chongqing marks a significant milestone in the development of Changan's intelligent driving capabilities.