China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has published a draft version of mandatory national standard GB 11557-202X, which is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2027. The filing draft removes technical definitions, testing methods, and compliance rules related to “half steering wheel” designs that were included in an earlier consultation version.
According to the document, half steering wheels are not included in the current mandatory standard framework, and no separate compliance testing pathway is defined for the design in the submitted draft. Some new energy vehicle models in recent years have adopted the design, which removes the upper portion of the traditional circular steering wheel and is commonly seen in Formula One race cars. Industry observers have debated its suitability for passenger vehicles, with some arguing that the absence of an upper grip point could increase handling difficulty during sharp turns, U-turns, or emergency maneuvers. [TechNode reporting]
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