36Kr Research Institute | 2026 China Autonomous Driving Industry Development Research Report

Autonomous driving is a strategic technology direction that deeply integrates artificial intelligence with the automotive industry, and it is one of the most dynamic growth areas within China's strategic emerging industry of intelligent connected new energy vehicles. China's autonomous driving industry is currently at a critical stage, moving from full-scope road testing and demonstration applications toward large-scale commercial deployment. On the policy front, in July 2026 the first mandatory national standard for L3 and L4 autonomous driving systems (GB44721-2026) was officially released and will take effect on July 1, 2027, establishing a unified safety access baseline for autonomous driving products. In August 2026, the draft revision of the Road Traffic Safety Law completed its first reading, featuring a newly added dedicated chapter on "special provisions for autonomous vehicles," filling a top-level gap in autonomous driving liability. On the technology front, domestic substitution of core components has delivered significant cost reductions; end-to-end large models are spreading rapidly and evolving toward "physical AI foundation models," with the generational leap in technological foundations reshaping the industry value chain. On the capital front, primary market funding is accelerating into application scenarios and core component segments with clear commercialization paths; secondary market valuation logic is undergoing a profound restructuring, shifting from earlier narratives of technology and track scarcity toward rigorous verification of the sustainability of business model profitability. However, as the industry moves into the deep waters of scaling, it still faces structural constraints: high-end computing chips and underlying toolchains remain weak points, cross-regional replication faces institutional friction around road rights and data compliance, companies have yet to reach overall profitability, and the capital environment has grown more cautious. Against this backdrop, 36Kr Research Institute, drawing on in-depth interviews with several leading companies and extensive industry insights, has released the 2026 China Autonomous Driving Industry Development Research Report. The report systematically reviews the industry's development trajectory and ecosystem landscape, analyzes upstream and downstream trends across the industry chain in depth, builds a six-dimensional business model analytical framework, and, combined with practices at typical companies, systematically assesses future industry trends, aiming to provide relatively objective, systematic, and forward-looking research references for industry participants. Policy, technology, and demand resonate together, as China's autonomous driving accelerates from demonstration applications toward large-scale commercial deployment China's autonomous driving market is expanding rapidly. According to data from 36Kr Research Institute and institutions such as CIC, the market reached 450.2 billion yuan in 2025 and is expected to reach 529.3 billion yuan in 2026. On the passenger vehicle side, advanced driver assistance is shifting from a high-end option toward a mainstream standard feature. According to data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, since the start of 2026, passenger