Chinese manufacturers to focus on safety in 2018

We often criticise the Chinese automotive industry for making vehicles that lack basic safety equipment, but Chinese car makers representing 85% of the market in China have agreed to fit electronic stability control (ESC) as standard on new models from 2018.

Manufacturers include Besturn, Changan, Dongfeng Fengshen, Geely, Haval, Hongqi, Lynk and Co, MG, Trumpchi, Roewe, Senova and Wey. The announcement was made as part of Global NCAP’s Stop the Crash campaign in Shanghai.

ESC is regarded as a key piece of life-saving technology and has been compulsory in the US and Europe since 2012. It is unclear whether the decision applies only to models built for the Chinese market or whether we can expect all Chinese models in SA to also be equipped with it.

The announcement again shows that road safety is being taken seriously in China and we can only hope that the South African government will follow suit when Global NCAP holds its first Safer Cars for Africa event later in November. – BD Motor News