A fatal accident led China to slow its plans for self-driving cars.
News of the high-speed crash in March, unlike previous incidents, evaded Beijing’s censors and spread widely.
Automakers had been expecting widespread approvals of “level 3” self-driving, in which drivers can take their eyes off the road — some even started mass-producing cars — but the crash, and testing revealing only US-made Teslas met safety requirements, made regulators cautious.
Approvals were limited to two companies, in restricted areas, and the less demanding “level 2″ autonomy. China had set an objective of widespread sales of level 3 to the general public by this year, but the scaling back represents a recognition that the plans were too ambitious, The New York Times reported.