Smart driving safety rules tightened

China has issued an updated mandatory national standard aimed at addressing operational risks associated with new energy vehicles and driver-assistance systems while expanding active-safety requirements for commercial vehicles.

The State Administration for Market Regulation said that the standard would take effect July 1,2027.

The revision comes as automotive technology advances and China's vehicle fleet continues to grow. The SAMR said safety requirements for some emerging vehicle technologies were inadequate while advanced active and passive safety systems remained relatively uncommon in conventional vehicles.

Under the standard, new energy passenger vehicles must be equipped with a function designed to detect accelerator-pedal misapplication and suppress unintended acceleration.

The standard covers vehicles equipped with combined driver-assistance systems that help control both steering and vehicle speed. Such systems must confirm that operating conditions are suitable before activation, monitor whether drivers keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road and detect abnormal operation.

It sets safety requirements for digital controls and in-car entertainment systems. The standard also covers single-pedal braking, which uses regenerative braking to slow a vehicle when the driver eases off the accelerator.

Ji Xuehong, director of the Automotive Industry Innovation Research Center at North China University of Technology, said single-pedal systems involve a change in driving habits and require automakers to balance safety, energy-recovery efficiency and user experience.

He said the key is to set appropriate response thresholds based on extensive analysis of real-world driving scenarios to ensure safety without disrupting normal driving.

The standard requires a wider range of large and medium-sized buses and trucks to be equipped with automatic emergency braking, electronic stability control and electronic braking systems. It introduces requirements for tire-pressure monitoring and lane departure warning systems. The measures are intended to reduce the risks of rollovers and brake failure.

A representative of a commercial vehicle manufacturer said nearly all heavy trucks currently on sale are already equipped as standard with automatic emergency braking, electronic braking and lane departure warning systems while tire-pressure monitoring was generally optional.

The standard introduces further requirements for panoramic-view or blind-spot monitoring systems and driver-attention monitoring. It expands the use of seat-belt reminders and requires reflective markings on three-wheeled cargo motorcycles.

Changes to vehicle registration rules include stricter requirements for the marking of vehicle identification numbers and cargo compartment structures.

The SAMR said the standard would serve as a technical basis for vehicle design and manufacturing and for road safety oversight.

Ji said the requirements should be manageable for established automakers, many of which had already built up technical capabilities and test data through cooperation with suppliers. In some cases, software-related requirements could be met through over-the-air updates, whereas hardware changes, particularly those involving vehicle platforms, chassis or body structures, would require more time for development and validation.

Ji added that commercial vehicle manufacturers would face greater challenges in meeting the standard because additional work would be needed to bring some models into compliance with the expanded active-safety requirements. Tight development schedules would be the main concern while managing higher costs in a highly price-sensitive market would present another challenge.

wangyuchen@chinadaily.com.cn