BUSINESS

China Proposes Stricter Testing Rules for New Car Designs

Published: Oct. 12, 2026 3:31 p.m. GMT+8

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Workers inspect new-energy vehicles about to roll off the production line in Wuhu, Anhui province, on July 22, 2026. Photo: IC photo

China has proposed new regulations requiring automakers to rigorously test innovative vehicle designs before they can be sold to the public, following complaints of increased risks caused by gimmicks such as hidden door handles.

The draft guidelines, released Oct. 10 by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and three other departments, aim to stamp out an industry practice of rushing inadequately tested cars into a fiercely competitive market and relying on software updates to fix safety flaws.

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Explore the story in 30 seconds

China proposed draft rules on Oct. 10 requiring rigorous testing of innovative car designs, citing safety risks from gimmicks.
Fully hidden door handles, folding screens, and flexible displays would be banned; 41 designs get oversight.
New-energy vehicles must undergo 30,000 km reliability tests, double the prior 15,000 km, plus year-long environmental tests.

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Who’s Who

Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Corp.: Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Corp. (JAC) co-developed the Maextro brand with Huawei Technologies. A recent incident involved a snapped brake pedal bracket on Maextro's new electric MPV, highlighting safety concerns amid China's proposed stricter testing rules for innovative vehicle designs.

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What Happened When

Since late July 2026：: Regulators ramped up on-site inspections at manufacturers including GAC Aion and XPeng Inc.

In August 2026：: MIIT Vice Minister Xin Guobin publicly criticized irrational competition in the industry and the rush to deploy radical designs without adequate testing.

In August 2026：: Authorities launched a yearlong nationwide campaign to improve vehicle production consistency and quality.

Before Oct. 10, 2026：: Complaints of increased risks caused by gimmicks such as hidden door handles emerged in China.

Before Oct. 10, 2026：: Authorities moved to ban fully hidden handles under a mandatory national standard, which will take effect on Jan. 1, 2027, while semi-hidden handles will still be permitted if they meet safety requirements.

In recent years (prior to Oct. 10, 2026)：: Fully hidden door handles sparked widespread controversy in China after hindering rescue efforts in several severe car crashes.

Recently (prior to Oct. 10, 2026)：: A brake pedal bracket snapped on a new electric multi-purpose vehicle from Maextro, a brand co-developed by Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Corp. and Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.

Recently (prior to Oct. 10, 2026)：: Regulators exposed compliance violations involving best-selling models such as the Geely Galaxy Xingyuan and BYD Qin L plug-in hybrid.

Oct. 10, 2026：: The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and three other departments released draft guidelines proposing new regulations for rigorous testing of innovative vehicle designs.

As of Oct. 10, 2026：: The draft guidelines identified 41 innovative designs for increased oversight, including yoke steering wheels, hidden door handles, virtual buttons, power suction doors, and novel human-machine interaction systems, with proposals to ban fully hidden door handles, folding screens, and flexible displays.

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