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China Mandates Physical Car Controls for New Vehicles Post July 1, 2027

China Mandates Physical Car Controls for New Vehicles Post July 1, 2027

Prachachat•International•9h ago

Reader Briefing

China is proposing new regulations requiring physical buttons and switches for key car functions, driven by safety concerns regarding driver distraction from touchscreens.

  • •China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) proposed new regulations for in-car controls.
  • •New vehicles manufactured after July 1, 2027, will be required to have physical buttons for functions like turn signals and gear selection.
  • •The move aims to reduce driver distraction caused by touchscreens, a design popular with brands like BYD and Tesla.
  • •The MIIT is also establishing safety standards for Level 3 and Level 4 autonomous driving systems.

Overview

  • •China's MIIT proposed draft regulations for in-car physical controls.
  • •The proposed regulations are expected to take effect for new vehicles produced after July 1, 2027.
  • •The MIIT is developing new safety standards for advanced driver-assistance systems.
  • •The proposal aims to reduce driver distraction caused by popular touchscreen designs.
  • •Functions such as turn signals, hazard lights, gear selection, and emergency calls must have physical buttons or switches.
  • •The draft regulations are open for public comment until April 13, 2026.
  • •This initiative follows MIIT's earlier ban on flush door handles due to safety concerns.
  • •Public feedback will be collected before proceeding with further steps for the regulations.

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Source: Prachachat (Original)

Key Entities

Place

China(จีน)ℹ️
The country implementing new regulations on automotive controls.

Organization

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology(กระทรวงอุตสาหกรรมและเทคโนโลยีสารสนเทศจีน)ℹ️
The government body proposing and enforcing new automotive safety regulations in China.
MIITℹ️
Abbreviation for China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, responsible for drafting automotive regulations.
BYD(บีวายดี)ℹ️
An automotive brand popular in China that utilizes touchscreen designs, which will be affected by new physical control regulations.
Tesla(เทสลา)ℹ️
An automotive brand known for its minimalist, touchscreen-heavy interiors, which will be impacted by China's proposed physical control mandates.
Xiaomi(เสียวหมี่)ℹ️
A Chinese brand that has adopted minimalist automotive interior designs, potentially affected by China's new physical control regulations.

Timeline

July 1, 27(1 ก.ค. 27)
The effective date for the enforcement of new physical button control regulations on new vehicles in China.
2027
The year after which new vehicles manufactured in China will be required to comply with physical control regulations.
April 13, 2026(13 เมษายน 2026)
The deadline for public comment on China's proposed regulations for in-car physical controls.
February(กุมภาพันธ์)
The month in which MIIT previously banned flush door handles due to safety issues.

Law

Flush door handles(มือจับประตูรถแบบซ่อน)
A type of car door handle previously banned by MIIT due to safety concerns leading to passenger entrapment.
Level 3 autonomous driving systems(ระบบขับขี่อัตโนมัติระดับ 3)
A category of autonomous driving technology for which MIIT is setting new safety standards in China.
Level 4 autonomous driving systems(ระบบขับขี่อัตโนมัติระดับ 4)
A category of autonomous driving technology for which MIIT is establishing mandatory safety requirements in China.