HarmonyOS Smart Mobility Launches L3 Autonomous Driving Pilot in Shenzhen as Two Models Receive L3 Approval
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HarmonyOS Smart Mobility has begun real-world L3 autonomous driving trials in Shenzhen, marking a key step toward regulatory deployment as two vehicle models receive official L3 approval.
December 16, 2025 — HarmonyOS Smart Mobility, in collaboration with the Shenzhen Municipal Transportation Bureau, Development and Reform Commission, and other government departments, has launched a Level 3 (L3) conditional autonomous driving pilot program in Shenzhen.
Unlike conventional R&D testing, the pilot is designed to validate system safety and maturity using real-world roads and real user data, providing practical evidence to support the rollout of China’s national L3 regulatory framework. Huawei employees are participating in the program using their privately purchased 2025 AITO M9 vehicles, along with the Stelato S800. The pilot covers approximately 1,000 kilometers of highways and expressways across Shenzhen, with more than 20,000 kilometers of test driving already completed.
A day earlier, on December 15, two models officially received approval for L3 autonomous driving operation. The BAIC Arcfox Alpha S (L3 version), equipped with Huawei’s Qiankun Intelligent Driving ADS system and 34 sensors, is authorized to operate in single-lane autonomous driving mode on designated highways in Beijing at speeds of up to 80 km/h. Meanwhile, the Deepal SL03, powered by Changan’s “Tianshu Intelligent” system, has been approved for single-lane autonomous driving in congestion scenarios on designated roads in Chongqing, with a maximum speed of 50 km/h.
