China issues ethical rules for autonomous driving technology

China's science and technology ministry has released ethical rules for autonomous driving, asking developers to focus on user safety and avoid false claims in research publications.

The guidelines also cover data usage and liability issues. Developers are required to limit data collection to what is needed for driving functions. Algorithms and models used in autonomous systems must be documented and accessible.

The rules define who is responsible in case of an accident—whether the human driver or the automated system—depending on how advanced the technology is.