New MIIT Rules Restrict Viral EV Features—Blue Lights and Zero-Gravity Seats Face Regulation

Starting July 27, 2026, new vehicles equipped with externally mounted auxiliary driving indicator lights (commonly known as "small blue lights") will no longer pass the access approval process following the launch of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s (MIIT) 410th batch announcement for motor vehicle products. Meanwhile, safety regulations concerning zero-gravity seats have entered the public consultation phase and will impose mandatory restrictions on seat positions during driving. Recently, regulators have intensified oversight of certain “trending features” in the new energy vehicle (NEV) market, including in-cabin cutlery storage compartments, external shower and cooking functions, and designs that eliminate the B-pillar, citing potential safety hazards or compromised structural integrity. Authorities have also initiated revisions to national standards for automotive lighting, establishing clear compliance boundaries. The new rules further require automakers to retain physical buttons for core safety functions and prohibit exaggerated marketing claims or self-defined classifications of driver-assistance systems. Professor Zhu Xichan from Tongji University emphasized that automobiles directly impact life safety and should not be marketed using consumer electronics-style promotional tactics. Cui Dongshu, an official from the China Automobile Dealers Association, noted that consumers are becoming more rational in their purchasing decisions, aligning well with these regulatory measures. Cao He, President of the All-China Federation of Automobile Dealers, stated that competition in the NEV sector should shift from “competing on feature quantity” to “competing on overall reliability.” Although this transition may temporarily increase costs for automakers, it will ultimately help clean up the market environment in the long run.