Yoke-style steering wheels will be banned in China starting in 2027 as part of the country’s safety upgrade measures enforced by regulators.

Chinese automotive media outlet Autohome recently reported that the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has released a draft approval version of the mandatory national standard GB 11557-202X, titled “Requirements for the Protection of Drivers from Injury Caused by Steering Mechanisms.” In this approval draft, which is scheduled to take effect in 2027, all technical content related to half-spoke (Yoke-style) steering wheels has been removed.

This move reflects a cautious stance by regulators toward unconventional steering designs in terms of passive safety. It also indicates that the currently trending half-spoke steering wheel design is unlikely to receive official support under national standards in the near future.

China’s current steering injury protection standard (GB 11557-2011) was introduced in 2011 and has been in use for more than a decade. However, the rapid expansion of new energy vehicles, along with emerging technologies such as half-spoke steering wheels, has made the existing standard insufficient to cover testing requirements for modern vehicle designs.

Compared with the previous version, the new regulation (202X version) introduces significantly stricter requirements in several key areas:

• Crash displacement and force thresholds aligned with international standards

  The new regulation lowers the horizontal force limit in anthropomorphic test module evaluations to 11,110 Newtons and aligns with standards set by the United Nations under UN R12 regulations. It also introduces stricter limits on upward and rearward displacement of the steering column during crashes.

• Mandatory human body impact testing

  The previous standard allowed exemptions from anthropomorphic impact testing under certain conditions. The new regulation removes these exemptions due to risks posed by hard debris and requires all vehicles to pass this validation test.

• Introduction of hooking risk assessment

  The new regulation establishes inspection methods to determine whether steering mechanisms may snag drivers’ clothing or accessories. This is not only intended to improve driving comfort but also to prevent secondary accidents caused by restricted steering movement during emergency maneuvers.

During the early stage of revising the standard, regulators considered incorporating half-spoke or Yoke-style steering wheels into the compliance framework. However, they were ultimately removed, not simply as a legal prohibition but due to several technical safety concerns, including:

• Testing limitations leading to non-compliance

  The new regulation requires head impact testing at 10 specific points along the steering wheel rim, including the midpoint of the weakest area and the midpoint of the shortest unsupported area.

  Since half-spoke steering wheels lack an upper rim section, these required testing points do not physically exist, creating a situation where the design cannot be tested and therefore cannot meet compliance requirements.

• Loss of protective safety function

  Traffic accident statistics show that 46 percent of driver injuries originate from steering system components. Traditional circular steering wheels provide a large cushioning surface when drivers lean forward. In contrast, the open structure of half-spoke steering wheels allows occupants to pass through the steering wheel during secondary impacts and collide directly with the steering column or dashboard, significantly increasing injury risk.

• Risk of debris during airbag deployment

  The new regulation specifically requires that no hard projectiles, such as metal or plastic components, may be directed toward occupants during airbag deployment. The irregular cover structure of half-spoke steering wheels creates unstable fracture paths and support structures when airbags deploy, making it difficult to pass strict high-speed camera verification tests.

The proposed regulation is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027.

For new vehicle models, all newly approved M1 passenger vehicles must comply with the updated standard from the effective date. Because the regulation removes definitions and adaptation rules for half-spoke steering wheels, vehicles equipped with such designs may face approval difficulties.

For vehicles already on sale, regulators typically allow a transition period, such as approximately 13 months, for manufacturers to revise designs and comply with the new requirements.

Source: Autohome