China is proposing to make advanced emergency braking systems mandatory in automobiles to improve safety.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has issued a draft regulation to make AEBS mandatory in passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks, which is expected to be implemented in 2028. The MIIT is seeking public feedback until June 30.

AEBS is an active safety technology that uses radar to measure the distance between cars and obstacles ahead and automatically activates the emergency braking or decelerates the vehicle based on the detected distance. It ensures safer travel and reduces accident risks.

The draft also introduced enhanced evaluations for detecting vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and riders of pedal-powered motorcycles, and added simulation test scenarios, such as low-visibility conditions like rain or nighttime.

The AEBS installation rate in Chinese passenger vehicles was nearly 57 percent in the first two months of this year, according to the latest data from the China Passenger Car Association. The rate was 63 percent for new energy vehicles, and that of entry-level models priced below CNY80,000 (USD11,200) was only 2.6 percent.

The Chinese AEBS component market is expected to exceed CNY100 billion (USD13.8 billion) over the next three years, mainly driven by the installation of AEBS on low-cost vehicles, analysts predicted.

However, analysts warned that stringent AEBS activation criteria may lead to functional failures, as recent accidents involving such system highlighted existing technical limitations.

Japan, the European Union, and the United States made AEBS mandatory in 2021, 2022, and last year, respectively.