China flexes its auto-safety chops with huge recall of Tesla, other cars

A massive recall in China last week aimed to resolve a long-standing concern among electric vehicle owners: the danger of being trapped inside their vehicles when power fails. This recall also showcases how Beijing is now leading new auto safety standards for some of the world's most advanced automobiles. It marks the largest recall ever in the world's largest automotive market, with nine manufacturers, including Tesla, Xiaomi, and Leapmotor, pledging to fix a combined 4.3 million vehicles due to concerns over the difficulty of locating emergency buttons or levers inside cars that allow occupants to manually open a door.

This move follows China's announcement in February of a prohibition on exterior electronic handles without a traditional manual mechanism to open the door, which will apply to new models beginning next year. While US and European regulators have traditionally led global automotive safety, China – presently the world's largest EV market, with electric vehicles accounting for almost 55% of new car sales – could soon set the standard.

Pedro Pacheco, a vice president of research at Gartner, stated that "the trend is clear: China is, bit by bit, taking the lead in regulating advanced vehicle technology." Safety regulation has been a challenge in the US and Europe, with authorities yet to act on door-release and door handle issues. In July, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced they would address this issue through an ongoing rule-making process.

Chinese regulators are moving the industry towards a more assertive safety-regulation phase, increasing oversight and introducing rules requiring automakers to monitor the condition and repair history of all EVs sold. Michael Brooks, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, noted that US safety requirements, such as rear seat-belt warnings, have taken over a decade to implement, while Chinese regulators have moved more quickly.