The_Assessor_Spring 2026 web - Flipbook - Page 23
manufacture to specialist companies,
most of the issues were eliminated –
manual emergency release is possible
but remains something of an art on the
present products. The door handles
became a signature along with BEV
powertrain and ADAS to ‘de昀椀ne’ BEV
ownership.
Xiaomi, a China smart phone company
in the mould of Apple, joined the car
manufacture business in 2024 with
much excitement for the 昀椀rst product,
SU7, with assembly by BAIC. In a
matter of months great excitement
turned to anger. The doors did
not always work after many impact
scenarios, leaving occupants trapped,
and in the case of 昀椀res, death. Other
China domestic manufacturers applying
the ‘Tesla’ look fell into the same trap,
but Xiaomi became embroiled in legal
actions more than any other company.
With tensions rising, something had to
be done.
USA AND EUROPE DISCUSS –
CHINA ACTS
The European and USA authorities
have long worried about the
performance of electric powered
door latches in the event of impact.
However, no law appeared.
The China Ministry of Industry and
Information Technology (‘MIIT’), faced
with growing consumer anger, put
together a team who did extensive
bench marking which then came up
with a design standard of interior
and exterior handles – the form,
the location, peak loads and the
requirement for default mechanical
operation. The new domestic type
approval standard GB 48001-2026 was
issued by MIIT on 28th January 2026,
applies to all newly introduced models
from 1st January 2027, and all existing
production vehicles by 1st January
2029.
The standard requires every door and
tailgate must be possible to open
mechanically even after electric system
failure or impact, a minimum handle
grip zone of 60mm × 20mm × 25mm
and withstand a minimum of 500N
force without handle fracture or failure.
In addition the internal door handles
should be placed 680mm above the
seat R-point as well as have a marking
visible even at night.
Why be aware? Most vehicle
manufacturers are unlikely to build
speci昀椀c doors for China, so these
solutions will 昀椀nd their way to Europe.
And the reason for that? China is the
biggest automotive market in the
world.
ON A ROLL
China, emboldened by this type
approval law, have decided to address
other areas of concern:
• Central touch screens, looking to
force key functions such as heating
and ventilation to be controlled
via switches – so curbing the
functionality of the display. This
is seen as a way to reduce driver
distraction.
• Steering wheels with just two
spokes and no rim, typically used
on steer by wire systems. The 昀椀rst
versions are able to vary the angle
of the steered road wheels. For
parking they could move through
nearly full lock, yet at high speed
the movement would be smaller.
The user has to adapt to the same
angular displacement of the steering
wheel achieving different results
depending on the speed.
• Driver monitoring (a mandated
feature in Europe already). Driving
skills are not always to a high
standard in China, and in major
cities traf昀椀c jams are a way of life
– so some drivers think the vehicle
with little more than SAE Level
2 ADAS can allow them to go to
sleep… at the wheel. This is set
to be addressed in law aimed at
enforcing proper use of the vehicle
and standardisation of how the
systems perform.
So, China goes from patchy standards
to the intention to dominate the
global type approval starting with door
handles. Given the cost of tooling, size
of the domestic market and annual
manufacturing capability (circa 25
million units) it is possible China just
might succeed.
Uniform tests. Uniform product.
Somehow that grates. Fancy a joy
stick? Maybe not….
JOURNAL
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