China Makes Automakers Liable for Self-Driving Crashes in New National EV Policy

China has published a new national industrial policy for electric and autonomous vehicles that goes beyond targets and adds a legal precedent for self-driving incidents. The 15th Five-Year Plan for the Development of the Intelligent Connected New Energy Vehicle Industry, released jointly by nine ministries, sets a goal for new energy vehicles to account for more than 70% of new domestic passenger car sales by 2030 and includes deployment requirements for autonomous systems to outperform human drivers for safety before commercial approval. Crucially, a proposed amendment to China’s Road Traffic Safety Law—reviewed by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee on August 25, 2026—would make automakers responsible for traffic violations committed in fully autonomous mode.