China is seeking public feedback on new safety rules for intelligent connected new energy vehicles (NEVs), as regulators step up oversight following a string of high-profile incidents in the fast-growing sector.

The State Administration for Market Regulation and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology released a draft notice on Wednesday detailing stricter requirements for recalls, production consistency, software updates and marketing of NEVs equipped with combined driver-assistance systems. Public comments are open until September 15, 2025.

The notice said automakers must prominently display safety instructions, deploy robust driver-monitoring and intervention features, and strengthen cybersecurity to prevent accidents caused by defects or system vulnerabilities. It also bars misleading promotion that implies driver-assistance features are fully autonomous.

This came after a series of accidents, including a fatal crash in March involving Xiaomi's SU7 electric sedan in assisted-driving mode, which killed three people, and earlier recalls in January over software faults in parking assistance. The incidents have triggered tighter scrutiny of how carmakers market and manage their smart-driving technologies.