Gasgoo Munich- On July 24, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s Department of Equipment Industry I visited GAC Aion New Energy Automobile Co. and Zhaoqing XPENG Automobile Co. to conduct inspections on product safety assurance capabilities and production consistency for road motor vehicle manufacturers. The move aims to further standardize competition in the auto sector and improve production consistency and quality safety levels. Inspectors focused on the companies' ability to ensure safety for intelligent connected vehicles, as well as their design, development, and manufacturing capabilities. They also verified compliance with production admission conditions, randomly selecting sample vehicles and power batteries on-site for testing against national standards.
Looking ahead, the department said it will continue organizing inspections of automakers and motorcycle manufacturers. Companies found in violation will face strict penalties in accordance with the law. The goal is to hold the line on product safety and effectively safeguard consumer rights.
Image source: XPENG
The year 2026 marks a critical juncture for upgrades to automotive safety standards. Since January, a raft of mandatory national standards have been released or implemented, covering everything from door handles and power batteries to combined driving assistance systems, side-impact protection, information security, and software updates. Notably, the new national standard for batteries has upgraded thermal diffusion requirements to mandate that batteries must not catch fire or explode. Additionally, the "Safety Requirements for Combined Driving Assistance Systems of Intelligent Connected Vehicles" (GB 47955-2026) was approved for publication in July.
This inspection serves as an on-site "litmus test" of how well manufacturers are complying with these newly implemented standards.
It is worth noting that both GAC Aion and XPENG are leading players in China's new-energy vehicle sector. By launching these surprise inspections now, regulators are signaling heightened scrutiny over the quality and safety of EVs. It also suggests that amid fierce market competition, "safety" is being elevated to an unprecedented level of priority.
