China issues draft guidelines to tighten automotive R&D and safety standards

automotive safety regulations R&D testing verification innovation design guidelines Chinese car industry vehicle reliability standards

Four Chinese government departments, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, have released draft guidelines to strengthen the management of automotive product innovation design and R&D testing verification. The notice aims to address the phenomenon of 'quick-fix cars'—vehicles rushed to market with insufficient testing to gain market share.

The draft introduces strict requirements for reliability and durability testing, including a minimum of 30,000 kilometers of road testing and an environmental adaptation verification period of at least one year. Starting January 1, 2027, new products must include 51 additional technical parameters related to innovation and testing.

Specific safety restrictions are proposed for innovative designs. These include a prohibition on fully hidden door handles, requirements for physical controls and clear markings on emergency escape and braking devices, and technical restrictions to prevent the use of 'zero-gravity' or rotating seats while a vehicle is in motion. The guidelines also mandate that manufacturers conduct failure mode analysis for complex and extreme scenarios during the design phase to ensure safety risks are identified before production.

Entities

Changan Automobile · China · Dongfeng Nissan · Huawei · JAC Motors · Ministry of Industry and Information Technology · People's Daily · Voyah

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 3 SOURCES] Automakers must use technical means to restrict seat functions like zero-gravity or rotating modes while the vehicle is in motion. www.tmtpost.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] Dongfeng Nissan maintains that its new energy vehicles follow complete verification standards rather than rushing production.
[● 3 SOURCES] The draft guidelines prohibit the use of fully hidden door handles in automotive designs. www.tmtpost.com
[● 4 SOURCES] Four Chinese departments issued a draft notice to strengthen automotive product innovation design and R&D testing verification. www.tmtpost.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] People's Daily criticized automakers for prioritizing market speed over quality, labeling them 'quick-fix cars'. www.stheadline.com
[● 3 SOURCES] Emergency escape, braking, and power cutoff devices must feature physical controls and clear markings. www.tmtpost.com