China is drafting tougher rules on how cars are designed and tested before they go on sale. The draft bans foldable and flexible screens, and requires zero-gravity seats, swivel seats and pop-up roofs to be locked out while the car is moving.
It also stops passengers from using voice commands to operate the headlights, wipers, doors or bonnet. Before a new model can be approved, carmakers would need to complete at least 30,000 km of reliability testing and a full year of hot and cold weather testing.
The draft notice was published on October 10, 2026 by the ministry of industry and information technology (MIIT). It was drawn up together with the ministry of public security, the ministry of ecology and environment and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR).
