China plans to tighten market-entry requirements for new automotive products, including stricter testing and validation of innovative vehicle designs and autonomous-driving systems. The move is intended to address concerns over vehicle quality and safety as the country continues expanding its intelligent connected new energy vehicle (NEV) industry.
Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) Vice Minister Xin Guobin announced the measures at a press conference held by China’s State Council Information Office on Wednesday.
Stricter Testing for New Vehicle Technologies
Xin said some aggressive design innovations have been introduced into vehicles without sufficient testing and validation. At the same time, incidents involving vehicle quality and autonomous-driving safety have attracted public attention.
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MIIT plans to strengthen market-entry reviews and testing requirements for innovative vehicle designs while increasing conformity-of-production inspections.
The ministry will also reform group-based management of automakers’ production qualifications and adjust the industry’s geographic distribution in an effort to improve market order and protect consumers.
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Autonomous-driving safety will be a key area of regulatory attention under the new approach.
China plans to support improvements in the safety and reliability of autonomous-driving systems while continuing market-entry and road-testing pilots for intelligent connected vehicles.
The government will also advance vehicle-road-cloud integration pilots, but Xin emphasized that manufacturers must maintain product quality and safety standards as new technologies are introduced.
Fifteenth Five-Year Plan for NEVs
MIIT has drafted the Fifteenth Five-Year Plan for the Development of the Intelligent Connected New Energy Vehicle Industry covering 2026 to 2030.
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The plan focuses on upgrading the sector across product quality, operating environments, industry governance and international cooperation.
On the battery side, regulators will support improvements in low-temperature performance and durability. The strategy also calls for stronger safety and reliability in autonomous-driving systems.
MIIT will address what it describes as irrational competition in the automotive sector through stronger planning guidance, capacity controls, price governance and industry self-discipline. The measures are intended to curb “involution-style” competition.
Charging Infrastructure to Expand
China also plans to continue policies supporting NEV adoption, including vehicle trade-in programs and efforts to increase electric vehicle use in rural areas.
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The government aims to address gaps in charging and battery-swapping infrastructure at county and township levels. The stated goal is to provide charging stations in every county and charging piles in every township.
MIIT also plans to improve regulations governing vehicle modifications and optimize NEV insurance policies while seeking to reduce repair costs.
China’s NEV Industry Expands
Xin said China’s NEV industry has grown from annual production and sales at around the 1 million-unit level to more than 10 million units.
During the Fourteenth Five-Year Plan period, annual NEV sales increased from 1.367 million to 16.49 million units, while NEVs’ share of new-vehicle sales rose from 5.4% to 47.9%.
China now accounts for more than 70% of global production of NEVs, power batteries and key materials. Chinese NEVs are also sold in more than 100 countries and regions.
Greater International Cooperation
MIIT plans to strengthen coordination on international automotive standards and regulations as Chinese NEV manufacturers expand overseas.
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The ministry also intends to improve support for cross-border logistics, investment and financing while expanding international trade and investment cooperation across the automotive industry.
The measures form part of China’s broader effort to move its rapidly expanding NEV sector toward higher product quality, stronger safety standards and more structured market competition through 2030.
