Mandatory National Intelligent Driving Standards to Take Effect Next Year, Reshaping Compliance in Interior, Exterior, and Cockpit Design

On June 27, 2026, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology organized and led the development of China’s first mandatory national standard for Combined Driving Assistance Systems, “Safety Requirements for Intelligent Connected Vehicle Combined Driving Assistance Systems” (GB 47955—2026). The standard was approved and issued by the State Administration for Market Regulation and the Standardization Administration of China, and will officially come into effect on January 1, 2027.

Currently, the market penetration rate of new passenger vehicles in China equipped with combined driving assistance functions has reached 70%, while the penetration rate of models featuring Navigate on Autopilot (NOA) exceeds 30%. This standard upholds the core principle that "the driver remains in control, with the system serving only as an aid"; furthermore, various provisions regarding human-machine interaction and driver/occupant monitoring establish strict boundaries for the development of vehicle interiors and exteriors, thereby imposing clear constraints on the supply chains for cockpit components and exterior body parts.

1. Core of the Standard: Refining the International Regulatory Framework Based on Domestic Road Conditions

This standard covers three types of Combined Driving Assistance Systems: basic single-lane assistance, basic multi-lane assistance, and navigation-assisted driving (NOA). All newly launched M-category vehicles (passenger cars and buses) and N-category vehicles (trucks) must pass a three-level evaluation process, including test track trials, road tests, and document verification. Unlike previous recommended national standards in this field, this standard has mandatory access requirements.

The standard refers to the framework of the “Uniform Provisions Concerning Driver Control Assistance Systems (DCAS)” (UN R171) issued by the United Nations World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29) in 2024 (with the first revision completed in March 2025). Compared with UN R171, GB 47955 introduces more detailed technical requirements in four key areas: Operational Design Domain (ODD), functional requirements, driver status monitoring, and user notification. It also adds domestic complex road condition test scenarios and verification methods, making it more aligned with China’s road traffic characteristics and the practical needs of industry regulation.

The standard establishes three core principles:

• First, it requires a mandatory closed-loop driver monitoring system. The system must not suppress steering wheel hands-on detection reminders; distraction and hands-off warnings cannot be disabled. The system must not operate when the driver fails to continuously perform the dynamic driving task.

• Second, it quantifies multimodal human-machine interaction requirements, specifies standards for ODD visualization displays, and sets mandatory requirements for graded warnings.

• Third, it strengthens manufacturers’ primary responsibility for safety. Manufacturers’ safety obligations run throughout the entire process, while the driver always remains the core responsible party for vehicle operation and control.

2. Vehicle Interior and Cockpit: Three Mandatory Design Changes with No Room for Buffer

The standard’s requirements related to driver-vehicle interaction and driver monitoring are all mandatory. Starting from 2027, the interior design of new vehicle models must be adjusted accordingly. The key modifications focus on three major areas:

• Steering Wheel: Dual Standard Configuration of Sensors and Physical Buttons, the steering wheel must be equipped with capacitive or grip-force sensing modules (HOD) to monitor hand-off status in real time and trigger multi-level audible, visual, and vibration warnings when hands are removed for an extended period. The activation and disengagement functions of driving assistance systems must be equipped with dedicated physical buttons, ensuring blind operation in scenarios such as power failure or touchscreen malfunction. Interior wrapping materials must not interfere with sensor signal detection. This requirement works in coordination with the national standard “Symbols for Controls, Indicators and Telltales of Road Vehicles”, which will take effect on July 1, 2026, ensuring the reliability of key function operations.

• DMS: Driver Monitoring System as a Mandatory Vehicle Configuration, the Driver Monitoring System (DMS) must become a legally required standard configuration for vehicles. It must use infrared cameras to continuously monitor the driver’s face and eye gaze. Installation locations should be concentrated in unobstructed areas such as above the instrument panel, the interior rearview mirror base, and the A-pillar. Interior design must reserve concealed installation space while avoiding issues such as airbag deployment interference, reflections, and glare. When fatigue or prolonged gaze deviation from the road is detected, the system must work with seat and steering wheel vibration to provide multi-level alerts. If the driver fails to respond after repeated warnings, the intelligent driving function will be temporarily restricted, forming a complete safety closed loop.

• Full-Scenario: Multimodal HMI Interaction Implementation, the instrument cluster, HUD, and center display must provide layered information on system activation status, downgrade notifications, fault messages, and ODD boundaries, combined with differentiated audio alerts. Fault warnings and takeover requests must simultaneously trigger tactile feedback through the steering wheel or seats to ensure drivers can perceive risks promptly. System limitations and safety risk notifications must be fully disclosed through the vehicle infotainment system interface and owner’s manual, while automakers must establish user safety training procedures as a mandatory responsibility.

3. Exterior Integration: Unified Coordination of Sensing Components and Styling

While the standard centers on cabin safety, intelligent driving sensing hardware is deeply integrated with the vehicle's exterior, necessitating synchronized design specifications: exterior covers for forward- and side-facing millimeter-wave radars and cameras must balance signal/light transmission with weather-resistant, paint-free finishes, aligning with the vehicle's high-gloss black accents and integrated, enclosed front-end design language; sensing cameras require automated cleaning mechanisms, with mounting slots pre-engineered into exterior molds, alongside standardized controls for body panel gaps and black-level color consistency (ΔE) to ensure monitoring accuracy remains uncompromised; and external visual signals—utilizing full-width light bars and turn signals—must be employed to indicate the activation, degradation, or risk status of driver-assistance systems, ensuring consistent logic for road feature recognition.

4. Industry Chain Window: Second Half of 2026 as a Critical Buffer Period

With less than six months remaining before the standard’s official implementation, the second half of 2026 represents the final window for vehicle model facelifts and compliance-oriented modifications to new platforms. This period presents both industry opportunities and key control challenges:

• High-Growth Segments: Deterministic demand growth is expected for DMS monitoring components, steering wheel sensor modules, haptic vibration actuators, dedicated interaction buttons, and sensor-integrated exterior trim panels. Manufacturers specializing in RHCM (Rapid Heat Cycle Molding) high-gloss injection molding and sensor integration processes will hold a competitive advantage.

• Key Control Challenges: Balancing DMS mounting locations with interior styling to ensure both unobtrusiveness and monitoring effectiveness; implementing precise ΔE control for multi-batch exterior components to maintain consistent sensing performance and visual appearance; ensuring electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) shielding for materials surrounding sensors to prevent signal interference; and incorporating recycled plastics without compromising monitoring hardware performance, thereby balancing environmental sustainability with safety requirements.

OEMs, interior/exterior trim suppliers, and modified material enterprises should promptly conduct benchmarking and validation against the specific clauses of the national standard. Simultaneously, they should carry out mold-flow simulations and vehicle packaging verification to ensure that new vehicles successfully pass market access certification after January 2027 and avoid compliance risks.