China's autonomous driving industry is approaching a breakthrough, with more highly automated Level 3 vehicles expected to hit the road by 2027, according to industry experts at the 2026 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, also known as Auto China 2026.
With the theme of "Future of Intelligence," this year's event opened on April 24 and is scheduled to run until May 3, showcasing intelligent vehicles, including electric models granted road approval for "hands-off, eyes-off" Level 3 driving.
Qiu Chao, director of Intelligent Driving Solution Sales at Huawei Intelligent Automotive Solutions BU, said the industry is advancing rapidly but cautioned that several critical hurdles remain before large-scale adoption can occur.
"The autonomous driving industry is now on the verge of explosive development, though the large-scale arrival of Level 3 will still take some time domestically. There are still several obstacles that remain insurmountable. First, safety needs to be verified through extensive real-world trials, including mass vehicle tests and commercial operations. Autonomous driving requires safety benchmarks ten times stricter than those for human driving," he said.
Level 3, or "conditionally automated driving," allows vehicles to perform dynamic driving tasks while requiring a human driver to remain available to take control when requested.
"Second, laws and regulations on autonomous driving still need to be introduced and refined. Legal liability will gradually shift from individual drivers to automakers and system suppliers, requiring a nationwide adaptation period. Third, the public also needs time to accept the sight of vehicles suddenly driving without anyone at the wheel," Qiu said.
Looking ahead, Qiu said the sector is approaching a critical juncture, with Level 4 technology promising greater driver freedom while raising the bar for safety and technical requirements.
"As the three obstacles continue to be resolved, the Level 3 autonomous driving era is likely to begin next year. By contrast, Level 4 technology allows drivers to sleep or even leave the driver's seat entirely, which raises far higher safety requirements and poses greater challenges for law enforcement. With steady technological progress and accumulation, the Level 4 era will certainly arrive in the future," he said.
This year's auto show has brought together leading automakers, technology companies and supply chain manufacturers from 21 countries and regions worldwide.
Fully utilizing all exhibition spaces at both the China International Exhibition Center (Shunyi Hall) and the Capital International Exhibition Center of China, Auto China 2026 has a record-breaking total exhibition area of 380,000 square meters, making it the world's largest auto show by exhibition area.
A total of 1,451 vehicles, including 181 debut models and 71 concept cars, are being showcased at the ongoing event.
Level 3 autonomous driving era likely to begin in 2027: Huawei auto executive
