China has proposed new safety requirements for vehicle displays, door handles, seats and model approval. The draft, issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and three other government bodies, is open for public comment until November 10, 2026. It proposes banning folding and flexible screens, while requiring safety assessments for large multimedia units, broad dashboard displays and complex head-up display systems. The draft does not propose a blanket ban on all large screens.
Essential functions—including lights, wipers and demisting systems—would need physical controls, even if they can also be operated through a touchscreen. Seats designed to recline close to horizontal, swivel seats and configurations that turn seats into beds would have to be disabled while the vehicle is moving.
Separate rules already approved for door handles require new vehicles to have accessible mechanical opening mechanisms inside and outside from January 1, 2027. Previously approved models would have until January 1, 2029 to comply. The new draft would add requirements for the space needed to operate handles and their function in emergencies.
From January 1, 2027, applications for approval of models with innovative designs would also need additional technical information and safety-reliability evidence. Passenger cars would need at least 30,000 kilometers of reliability testing. Previously approved models that fail the requirements and pose safety risks could face production suspensions or recalls; they must provide supplementary information by July 1, 2027. Though focused on China, the rules could affect design decisions for vehicles developed for multiple markets.