Tech Shifts: China’s Internet Rules, Firefox Quantum, Autonomous Car Tests

1. China’s Internet Regulation for Google and Facebook

The Chinese Cyberspace Administration announced that Google and Facebook must accept Chinese censorship and comply with strict internet laws if they wish to reach China’s 751 million net users. The condition is that they must not engage in activities that threaten national security or consumer interests.

2. Firefox Quantum Reaches 170 Million Installations

Mozilla released Firefox 57, dubbed Firefox Quantum, a major update since Firefox 1.0 in 2004, delivering noticeable performance gains. One month after launch, Mozilla reported 170 million installations worldwide. The release also attracted more Chrome users, and mobile installations on iOS and Android grew by 24%.

Firefox senior vice‑president Mark Mayo noted that the desktop “halo effect” is extending to mobile platforms, with most users still on desktop but future growth expected on mobile.

3. Ruby’s Slow Decline According to Redmonk

Redmonk’s latest ranking places Ruby at eighth, behind JavaScript, Python, and PHP, but ahead of C, Swift, and Go. This is Ruby’s lowest position in Redmonk’s history; the language once ranked in the top five from 2012 onward. Although the decline is gradual, Ruby is expected to remain a mainstream language for several more years.

4. Google to Shut Down Project Tango

Google announced that Project Tango, its augmented‑reality initiative launched in 2014, will be discontinued on 1 March next year. Project Tango required specialized hardware to perceive space and motion. Google is shifting focus to the software‑only solution ARCore, which does not need dedicated hardware.

5. Beijing Allows Autonomous‑Vehicle Road Testing with Strict Rules

Beijing’s Traffic Commission issued the “Guiding Opinions on Accelerating Road Testing of Autonomous Vehicles (Trial)”, the city’s first regulation for autonomous‑driving tests. Key points include:

Each test vehicle must have a test driver in the driver’s seat; the driver bears legal responsibility for any accidents.

Vehicles need a special test licence plate, must first pass closed‑track testing, and must carry at least 5 million RMB liability insurance.

Only domestic companies may apply; each company may test up to five vehicles, with qualifications reviewed by a third‑party regulator and test data uploaded regularly.

The guidelines also define autonomous functions (e.g., automatic driving, gear shifting, braking, environment monitoring, lane changing, steering, signal reminders, and connected‑vehicle assistance) and distinguish them from driver‑assistance systems.

Testing scenarios cover six weather conditions (day, night, rain, fog, wind at 30 mph, snow) and four road environments (highway simulation, urban, unmarked roads, specific road scenes), totaling 28 detailed situations that represent typical Chinese road conditions.