(Yicai) July 8 -- The International Organization for Standardization has released new benchmarks for developing and testing self-driving technology, following a project spearheaded by Chinese and German experts.

ISO 34505:2025 specifies the evaluation process and test methods, clarifies the requirements for evaluation metrics such as exposure rate, complexity, and hazard level, and defines the general methods and characteristics for test cases, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced yesterday.

The new standard was initiated in September 2022 and led by a project team of experts from China and Germany, aiming to fill the gap in global benchmarks for self-driving system testing, Yicai learned. It will provide a unified foundation for the research and development of autonomous driving technology and help promote the globalization of Chinese automakers.

The release of ISO 34505:2025 is of great significance to China's automotive industry, Cui Dongshu, secretary general of the China Passenger Car Association, told Yicai. “As autonomous driving technology rapidly advances and international competition intensifies, gaining an advantage in standard formulation will greatly help Chinese carmakers go global,” he noted.

Although some Chinese cities have opened some roads for self-driving vehicle trials, high‑level technology testing still relies heavily on simulated environments, so the new benchmarks provide a solid basis for this, a professional in the tech’s research and development told Yicai.

Many companies developing the technology are running pilot programs overseas, and the demand for smart driving R&D is also growing among carmakers, so the industry needs a unified standard for domestic and international development, the insider added.

The MIIT also noted that it will work closely with organizations such as the China Automotive Technology and Research Center to update international automotive standards, further strengthening China’s role and influence in global standard‑setting.

Editors: Dou Shicong, Futura Costaglione