China launches year-long auto quality drive, mandates defect recalls

BEIJING, Aug 27 (Reuters) - Chinese ‌regulators on Thursday ​ordered ​automakers to file proactive recall plans for any defects uncovered in self-audits, as part of a year-long campaign to ‌improve vehicle quality and safety in the world's largest ⁠auto market.

Tesla and eight Chinese electric vehicle makers on August 21 announced fixes affecting ‌a combined 4.3 million vehicles ‌in China's largest-ever automotive recall, prompted by safety concerns involving emergency door-release mechanisms.

Under the campaign, automakers are required to conduct comprehensive ​inspections of product quality, reliability, durability and the testing and validation of new technologies across their operations and key suppliers. They ⁠must submit reports to local authorities by the end of 2026, according to a joint statement ​issued by the market regulator and the ministries of industry, public security, and environment.

Companies must promptly file recall ​plans with the market regulator and carry ‌out voluntary recalls of defective products. Local authorities need to tighten oversight and ensure rigorous safety validation ⁠before introducing new vehicle technologies.

The audits will also scrutinise the safety of advanced driver-assistance and autonomous-driving systems, as well as automakers' capabilities in areas including ⁠functional safety, cybersecurity, data security, software updates, incident monitoring and emergency response.

The latest measures ​signal China's increasingly assertive approach to auto-safety regulation.

As domestic demand weakens amid a broader slowdown in the world's second-largest economy, China's auto industry has shifted its ‌focus from defending market share through a prolonged price war to improving product quality and long-term competitiveness.

In ‌a separate industry initiative issued shortly after the official mandate, the China ⁠Association of Automobile Manufacturers warned ‌that "irrational competition" could erode ​production consistency and product safety, undermining the sector's high-quality development.

(Reporting by Qiaoyi Li and Liz Lee; Editing by ‌Sharon Singleton)

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