We all know China doesn’t take kindly to those pesky pop-out door handles, having mandated an all-out ban back in February. It will come into effect on January 1, 2027, and Chinese lawmakers at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) aren’t planning to hang up the gloves just yet. As a matter of fact, the door handle saga might’ve been just the warm-up.
MIIT’s crosshairs are now aimed at a trending feature we really wouldn’t mind seeing less of – annoyingly large touchscreens prone to distracting the driver. Quite frankly, we’re more than happy to cheer them on in this regard, and others may want to consider taking this particular page out of China’s rulebook.
The Days Of Overly Aggressive Digitalization Are Numbered
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Cited by Auto Express, MIIT proposes legislative measures for all new cars featuring “central control entertainment screens, large-area displays, or complex heads-up displays.” These should “undergo safety evaluations regarding information presentation impact on driving safety, functional reliability in extreme environments, and collision safety assessments,” says the regulatory body.
The new rules may put an end to automakers’ overreliance on screens and digital controls once and for all, and this could very well trigger a similar effect on a larger scale. But the story doesn’t end with infotainment displays, because policymakers seem to be working toward a comprehensive safety framework instead of just patching a few things up here and there.
What Else Is China Taking Aim At?
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Another thing the MIIT doesn’t exactly appreciate is the lack of physical controls forcing drivers to navigate menus upon menus for even the most basic functions. Seeing it as a surefire way to encourage distracted driving by design, Chinese regulators are making buttons and switches for certain functions mandatory. These include things like gear selection, windshield wiper control, and hazard light activation, among many others.
You might say a lot of this is just common sense, and you’d be right. But relying on each manufacturer to do what’s best instead of what is more cost-effective may not be a great strategy, so it would be wise to have the proper regulations in place sooner rather than later. To its credit, China is abundantly aware of this and actively trying to bring things under a degree of control.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
Other parts of the world like Europe and Australia are also taking measures to prevent distracted driving, but none are quite as comprehensive as those implemented over in China. Even those zero-gravity reclining seats aren’t safe from MIIT’s sweeping regulatory changes, the full extent of which will reportedly become clear after November 10.
Now, the NHTSA may want to take a good look at this and consider whether it might be time to take proactive steps in a similar direction. Because safer roads would be a big win for us all, and that should never play second fiddle to cost-effectiveness under any circumstance. So, if car brands will wage war on physical buttons and focused driving, lawmakers ought to do something about it.
Source: Auto Express
