On January 28, 2026, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) released an official explanation on the key elements of the mandatory national standard GB 39901-2025 Technical requirements and testing methods for advanced emergency braking system of light-duty vehicles. GB 39901-2025, published on December 31, 2025 and set to take effect on January 1, 2028, revises the currently applicable national standard GB/T 39901-2021 Performance requirements and test methods for advanced emergency braking system (AEBS) of passenger cars. It represents China’s first mandatory national standard in the field of automotive driver assistance systems, signifying that AEBS for light-duty vehicles will shift from being an optional feature to a required one, while also setting a unified and standardized baseline for safety performance.
The revision, driven by the widespread adoption of AEBS technology, which was installed in over 60% of new passenger cars in China by 2025 and helps prevent or mitigate collisions in common risk scenarios, aims to boost innovation, road safety, and public protection through its upcoming implementation. The standard draws on international standards and regulations such as Uniform provisions concerning the approval of motor vehicles with regard to the Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS) for M₁ and N₁ vehicles (UN Regulation No. 152).
GB 39901-2025 establishes comprehensive technical requirements for light-duty vehicle AEBS. Specifically, General requirements cover self-check, system status, and driver intervention provisions. Performance requirements mandate collision warning and emergency braking functions across specified speed intervals: for M₁ vehicles, 10-80 km/h for vehicle targets and 20-60 km/h for pedestrian, bicycle, and powered two-wheeler targets; for N₁ vehicles, 10-60 km/h for vehicle targets and 20-60 km/h for vulnerable road users. Manufacturers must demonstrate system safety for other responsive targets and activation speed intervals per Annex A. Test methods specify vehicle conditions, data processing, and target specifications, etc. Typical scenarios expand from three (stationary vehicle target, constant speed vehicle target, braking vehicle target) to six types, while false response tests increase from two (e.g., false response to a metal plate in the lane) to five scenarios to verify avoidance of inappropriate activations. The instruction manual must detail functionality, activation/deactivation, warnings, and system limitations to guide drivers in the safe use of the system. Annexes A, B, and C respectively mandate functional safety requirements, requirements for simulation tests and requirements for system functional safety description.
The standard’s implementation follows a phased timeline: M₁ vehicles and multipurpose goods vehicles must comply with requirements excluding powered two-wheeler targets by January 1, 2028 for new type approvals and January 1, 2029 for existing ones, with full compliance by January 1, 2030; N₁ vehicles other than multipurpose goods vehicles have corresponding deadlines of 2029 and 2030. Overall, China’s safety requirements for the braking systems of light-duty vehicles sold and used in the country are being strengthened. Foreign stakeholders should carefully examine the technical changes and take necessary measures to stay compliant.
