China has proposed stricter car design rules that would ban fully hidden door handles, foldable or flexible displays and the use of “zero-gravity” or swivel seats while a vehicle is moving, as regulators seek tighter control over safety and environmental risks in new models.
The draft regulations were proposed by China’s industry ministry along with three other agencies. The ministry said some automakers had rushed new models to market without adequate validation, creating potential safety and environmental risks.
Under the proposal, automakers seeking approval for new vehicle models from January 1, 2027, would have to submit more technical information about innovative designs and research and development testing. Models that are poorly tested or supported by false data would be rejected, according to the draft.
The proposed restrictions address design features that have increasingly become part of the technology-led competition among carmakers. Fully concealed door handles and flexible displays are among the features that would be prohibited under the draft, while key functions such as lights and windscreen wipers would be required to retain physical controls.
The draft would also bar the use of “zero-gravity” or swivel seats while driving. The proposal does not state in the supplied report how the restrictions would be enforced during vehicle operation or what technical standards would define compliance for every design feature.
The proposed framework would also cover vehicles that have already received approval. Automakers would have to file information about their innovative designs by July 1, 2027. If manufacturers fail to provide the information and their vehicles are found to have safety hazards, they would be required to halt production and recall the affected models.
The rules would add a more detailed review layer to China’s vehicle approval process, particularly for features whose safety performance may require additional testing. The ministry’s stated concern is that design innovation should be supported by adequate validation rather than introduced before testing is complete.
For vehicle users, the proposal could affect the availability of certain cabin and exterior features in future models sold in China. Physical controls for lights and wipers would remain mandatory under the draft, preserving direct manual access to functions that drivers use while operating vehicles.
The ministry is seeking public comments on the proposed rules until November 10. The draft does not establish a final implementation date for all provisions, but it identifies January 1, 2027, as the date from which additional technical details would be required for new-model approvals.
