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Safety rules drafted over self-driving systems

China is developing new mandatory national safety requirements for driver assistance systems, signaling tighter regulations as the safety of the evolving technology comes under scrutiny. The proposal was published by the State Administration for Market Regulation on Wednesday. The China Automotive Technology and Research Center, Dongfeng Motor and Huawei are participating in the drafting process. The standard will specify the general technical requirements for combined driver assistance systems, including motion control capabilities, driver status monitoring, driver intervention and functional safety. China has sought to tighten rules around driver assistance technology following a fatal accident involving a Xiaomi SU7 that had the autopilot function turned on. In April, the government issued stricter regulations that require automakers to be clearer about what their technology can and cannot do to curb descriptions of systems as "self-driving".

Tesla suffers eight months of decline

Sales of Tesla's electric vehicles made in China continued their downward trajectory in May, tumbling 15 percent from a year earlier, data from the China Passenger Car Association showed on Wednesday. This is the eighth consecutive month of sales declines for Tesla's China-made EVs amid a brutal price war in the country and intense competition with domestic carmakers, including BYD.Deliveries of China-made Model 3 and Model Y cars, including both domestic sales and exports to Europe and other markets, fell to 61,662, after a 6 percent fall in April. They were, however, up 5.5 percent from April. In comparison, global passenger new energy vehicle sales at BYD rose 14.1 percent year-on-year to 376,930 units in May. Tesla's EV sales also continued to plummet across much of Europe in that month, as its aging model lineup and CEO Elon Musk's political activities deterred buyers.

EV growth offers hope to Germany's market

A jump in electric car sales helped give a slight boost to Germany's troubled automotive market in May, official data showed on Wednesday. A total of 239,297 new vehicles were registered in May in Europe's top vehicle market, 1.2 percent more than the same month in 2024, according to the KBA federal transport authority. The number of electric vehicles registered jumped 45 percent year-on-year, as the segment continues a tentative recovery following a downturn in 2024, which was triggered by the removal of government subsidies. This also offset declines for petrol and diesel vehicle sales. Registrations of Chinese new energy vehicle manufacturer BYD jumped more than 800 percent from a year earlier, to nearly 1,860 vehicles, although the NEV giant is just beginning to make inroads in Germany. Tesla's new car registrations in Germany decreased by 36.2 percent year-on-year to 1,210 vehicles in May.

AESC opens battery gigafactory in France

Battery provider AESC began operations of its new electric vehicle battery gigafactory in Douai, northern France, last week in a ceremony attended by French President Emmanuel Macron. The factory is expected to produce batteries for up to 200,000 EVs annually, including for the Renault R5, currently France's top-selling EV model. The facility is part of France's broader strategy to accelerate its transition to low-carbon transport and boost domestic industrial capacity. Macron praised the project as a key part of the government's "Choose France" initiative, which aims to attract international investment and support reindustrialization. He described the plant as combining innovation, economic development and sustainability. Zhang Lei, chairman of AESC, said the Douai plant's launch marks a milestone in Europe's electrification push. "We are using Chinese clean energy technology to support a more sustainable and prosperous future," he said.

Geely to expand charging infrastructure in Indonesia

Geely has signed a strategic partnership with Voltron, Indonesia's leading electric vehicle charging network provider, to provide charging station facilities at all Geely official dealers in the Southeast Asian country and make EV charging more practical and convenient. Geely officially re-entered Indonesia's EV market in January, focusing on EV models including the EX5 SUV. The automaker has six official dealers in Indonesia, each equipped with after-sales service centers to meet consumer needs, according to Geely Auto Indonesia. "This collaboration with Voltron is concrete proof of Geely's commitment to accelerating the transition to EVs in Indonesia. With the presence of Voltron charging station facilities in our authorized dealer network, customers can enjoy more practical and convenient charging," said Yusuf Anshori, brand director of Geely Auto Indonesia, in a news release on Thursday.

Agencies - Motoring