China has launched a nationwide vehicle safety campaign as artificial intelligence helps Chinese automakers develop new cars faster than ever. As a result, China new car safety rules are gaining more attention in the automotive industry.
Chinese automakers could use artificial intelligence to reduce the development time for a new vehicle to around 18 months, according to estimates from IAT Automobile Technology and the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.
Chinese companies currently take about two years to develop a new car. Many established Western automakers usually need between three and five years to complete the same process.
China’s fast vehicle development has become a global industry standard. However, this speed has also raised concerns about whether safety testing, quality control and government oversight can keep pace with new technology and China new car safety rules.
China begins year-long vehicle safety campaign
Chinese regulators have launched a year-long campaign to strengthen vehicle safety checks across the country. The campaign includes unannounced inspections of car factories.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has also started naming the companies it inspects soon after each visit. This action increases public attention and puts more pressure on automakers to follow China’s new car safety rules.
China has already introduced stricter requirements for electric vehicle batteries, driver-assistance systems and door handles following several major accidents and safety concerns. Regulators are also considering doubling the required road-testing distance for new-energy vehicles from 15,000 kilometres to 30,000 kilometres.
Authorities believe longer real-world road tests could help manufacturers find technical faults that may remain hidden during shorter development schedules.
Chery Vice President Li Xuerong warned that cars directly affect the safety of millions of families. He said manufacturers must test vehicles under many different conditions before selling them to consumers. “There are simply some development timelines we cannot afford to shortcut,” Li said on social media, according to Bloomberg.
Li stressed that automakers should not remove important development stages simply to release new models more quickly. His warning reflects growing concern that faster AI car development could allow some technical problems to go undetected until vehicles reach customers.
Artificial intelligence can help automakers complete several development tasks more quickly. Manufacturers can use AI for vehicle design, computer simulations, digital validation, and checks involving thousands of vehicle parts.
However, experts warn that computer tests cannot fully replace physical road testing. Cars must operate safely in different climates, on different roads and under a wide range of driving conditions. Accordingly, China new car safety rules are becoming increasingly important in guiding these requirements.
Yale Zhang, Managing Director of Automotive Foresight, said automakers cannot replace certain basic safety standards. He argued that vehicles still need road testing covering between 30,000 and 50,000 kilometres. The industry must therefore decide where AI can safely reduce development time and where traditional testing remains essential.
Chinese consumers have become used to frequent launches of new cars, updated models and advanced technologies. Competition between automakers is also extremely strong as companies race to introduce more advanced electric and intelligent vehicles.
Geely Chairman Li Shufu told Chinese broadcaster CCTV that asking automakers to simply slow down would hardly be realistic. Chinese manufacturers have become major competitors in electric vehicles, vehicle software and advanced driver-assistance systems. Some companies can now develop and launch cars at a speed that would have been difficult to imagine a decade ago.
Renault developed its new Twingo E-Tech in China in only 21 months. Volkswagen also completed the ID.UNYX 08, developed with Chinese electric vehicle company Xpeng, in 24 months.
These examples show how international companies are using Chinese engineering knowledge and development systems to shorten their own production schedules. Modern cars depend heavily on software. Automakers can add features and improve some systems through software updates, much like they update smartphones. Overall, China new car safety rules play a key role in shaping both local and global automotive safety standards.
However, a car carries passengers and travels at high speeds. Even a small technical fault can therefore create serious safety risks. Chinese regulators now face the challenge of supporting rapid innovation while enforcing strict quality and safety standards.
