Overview
- MIIT’s draft standard, reported by Autohome, is in a for-approval stage and would apply to new model approvals from January 1, 2027, with roughly a 13‑month transition for already approved models.
- The rules mandate human head‑impact testing at ten points around the rim—including the top and the weakest and shortest unsupported mid‑points—criteria a yoke or half‑spoke wheel cannot meet.
- A new prohibition on hard projectiles facing occupants during airbag deployment and added hook‑risk evaluations further challenge irregular or open‑top steering designs.
- The draft aligns with UN R12 by setting the horizontal force limit at 11,110 N and imposes stricter limits on upward and rearward steering‑column displacement in crashes.
- The move follows recent MIIT safety actions such as requiring mechanical door releases, and it is expected to compel redesigns of models from brands that have offered yoke controls.