China draws up safety rules for autonomous vehicles

BEIJING (AFP) -- China has drawn up new safety rules for the growing number of autonomous vehicles on its roads, including a mandatory deactivation override, the government said Tuesday. The standards taking effect July 1, 2027 will cover autonomous vehicles that require a human back-up driver, as well as independently operating vehicles such as the robotaxis made by US manufacturer Waymo. Under the new rules, manufacturers will have to ensure autonomous systems can match the safety of human dri