China's first official license plate dedicated to Level-3 (L3) autonomous driving was issued in the southwestern city of Chongqing on Saturday, marking a leap as advanced driving technologies transitions from limited testing authorization to formal road access.
The license plate, bearing the number of "Yu-AD0001Z," was granted by the municipal public security and traffic administration authority to a car manufactured by Chinese auto maker Changan Automobile.
Last week, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) granted permits to two electric sedans -- one from Changan Automobile and the other from BAIC Motor's Arcfox -- to offer L3 self-driving functions on select roads in Chongqing and Beijing, respectively.
The step from Level 2 to Level 3 is a critical transition from assisted driving to automated driving. Level 3, "conditionally automated driving," allows vehicles to perform dynamic automated driving tasks while requiring a human driver to remain available to take control when requested.
At present, Changan Automobile's L3 autonomous driving system has been tested on real roads in Chongqing for over 5 million kilometers.
China grants first L3 autonomous driving license plate in southwestern city
China grants first L3 autonomous driving license plate in southwestern city
India's manufacturing industry has been threatened by shortages in the global energy supply amid mounting tensions and escalating spillover effects spreading beyond the Middle Eastern battlefield.
Glass producers in the country are feeling the acute strain of natural gas shortages, which have forced many production lines to shut down. This, in turn, has impacted beverage companies that rely on glass containers.
"The glass is a critical part of the packaging and it accounts for nearly 45 percent of the cost of beer. Now, there is no gas supply coming. So, a lot of furnaces are unable to operate. Production lines are shutting down," said Vinod Giri, director general of the Brewers Association of India.
Fuel shortages are also hitting India’s metalworking sector, leading to price volatility for stainless-steel cookware. As these goods are essential to daily life, persistent supply instabilities are placing considerable strain on related businesses
"[Metal] prices continue to rise, making our business extremely difficult. We face raw material shortages, production halts, shutdowns in some areas, and worker exodus. Since the outbreak of the war, raw material prices have risen by 10 percent to 15 percent and continue to climb. We have no idea when the price hikes will stop," said Krishan Aggarwal, a stainless steel cookware trader.
Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities on Feb. 28, killing Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone strikes against Israel and U.S. assets in the Middle East, while tightening control over the Strait of Hormuz by restricting passage to vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States.
Spillover effects of Middle East conflict threaten manufacturing industry in India
