China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) ruled on 20 October that any vehicle without a Level 3 or higher autonomous driving system is forbidden from fitting ADS marker lights. The familiar blue “little blue light” that L2 assisted-driving cars have been flashing to signal their status is now officially banned.
The dedicated optical colour for legitimate ADS marker lights is defined as blue-green. Most L2 signal lights previously used plain blue, a visual cue that regulators now say blurred the line between assistance and autonomy.
According to Yicai, several carmakers received notice as early as July that the L2 “little blue light” would be prohibited. The China Automotive Technology and Research Centre had flagged that some vehicles fitted the light to show other road users that assisted driving was active, but misuse created safety risks.
For vehicles that do carry a compliant L3 or higher system under standard GB 44721, front, rear and side ADS marker lights become optional. Trailers paired with L3-plus autonomous tractors may fit rear and side lights.
This is a rare piece of labelling discipline from Beijing. It draws a bright line between genuine autonomy and marketing theatre, and forces carmakers to stop dressing up L2 as something it is not. For European OEMs importing Chinese-assisted-driving platforms, it is also a reminder that the boundary between assistance and autonomy is now policed, not assumed.
Editor’s note: This is an adapted translation of the original Sohu report. It has been trimmed and restructured for readability for an international business audience. The full original (in Chinese) is at https://www.sohu.com/a/1090331081_114760.