The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has convened a symposium for key automobile manufacturers, focusing on enhancing industry competition standards and product safety.

The meeting, held on July 17, was organized by the Ministry's Department of Equipment Industry I. Its primary objectives were to further regulate competition within the automotive sector, improve production consistency and quality safety levels of vehicles, and conduct safety risk investigations and supervisory inspections of automotive products.

Attendees were instructed to thoroughly implement the decisions and plans of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, resolutely reject irrational competition, strengthen product testing, verification, and safety assessments, and firmly uphold the baseline for production consistency and quality safety.

Key Focus Areas for Manufacturers

Manufacturers are required to conduct in-depth investigations into product safety risks. They must systematically identify issues within their own operations and their key component suppliers concerning production consistency, reliability, durability, and the testing and verification of new technologies, in accordance with relevant management requirements. Comprehensive corrective actions must be taken, supply chain management must be enhanced, and capabilities to ensure production consistency must be strengthened.

Innovation and Safety Verification

It is essential to strengthen the design, testing, and verification of product innovations, fully assessing associated safety risks. The application of new technologies in vehicles must be advanced prudently to ensure compliance with national standards and requirements for protecting human health, personal safety, and property. Manufacturers must strictly fulfill their obligation to inform consumers and refrain from exaggerated or false advertising.

Enhancing Safety Assessment for Advanced Functions

A critical focus is on strengthening the safety evaluation of combined driving assistance and autonomous driving functions. Companies must further enhance their safety assurance capabilities in areas such as functional safety, Safety of the Intended Functionality (SOTIF), cybersecurity, data security, and software updates. Additionally, they must improve the monitoring and handling of safety incidents.

Core Principles and Responsibilities

The meeting emphasized that automobile manufacturers must firmly uphold the principle of "safety first, quality paramount." They are to bear the responsibility for ensuring product quality and safety, safeguarding public security, and protecting the life and property of citizens. Risk prevention must be addressed across product design verification, manufacturing, and after-sales service to effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers.

Next Steps for Regulatory Action

Moving forward, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, in collaboration with other relevant departments, will intensify efforts to improve the production consistency and quality of road motor vehicles. This will involve a targeted campaign to address prominent issues, further strengthen the review and testing verification for innovative vehicle designs entering the market, and conduct inspections of manufacturers' product safety assurance capabilities and production consistency. Management of road motor vehicle inspection and testing institutions will also be enhanced. Manufacturers and testing institutions found to have problems will face serious legal and regulatory consequences, reinforcing the commitment to the fundamental safety baseline for automotive products.

The meeting was attended by responsible officials from the Ministry's Department of Equipment Industry I, the Equipment Industry Development Center, and key automobile manufacturers.