China is officially telling automakers to get a full grip: a complete wheel-style steering wheel. According to a draft from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the country plans to ban “yoke-style” or “half” steering wheels (via CarNewsChina).
The ban comes into effect from January 1, 2027, as part of the updated national safety standard (GB 11557-202X). While the documentation doesn’t explicitly name yokes, the new crash-testing requirements make it effectively impossible to pass.
China tightens its grip on steering design
The updated safety norms require steering wheels to pass an impact test at 10 specific points around the rim, and guess what: a yoke-style steering wheel, which doesn’t have a top part, can’t exactly volunteer for the test. It’s a no rim, no test, no approval kind of situation.
Chinese regulators explain how the choice isn’t about aesthetics. Rounder steering wheels offer a broader surface area, preventing drivers from pitching forward past the wheel in the event of a crash. Concerns about airbag deployment have also fueled the new norms.
The move will affect brands that have embraced the sci-fi look, including Tesla (among the major automakers that popularized the yoke-style steering wheels), Lexus, IM Motors, and Mercedes-Benz. While new models must comply from 2027, existing models might get a 13-month transition period.
Automakers rethink the spaceship look
Most recently, China also banned flush, pop-out door handles over safety concerns, stating that motorized handles can complicate emergency exit from vehicles.
Whether it is the yoke-style steering wheel or the flush-type door handles, regulators are dialing back flashy design trends in favor of safety and practicality.
For Chinese drivers who never quite got used to shuffling a yoke through a tight parking space, the news might come as a relief. For those chasing a spaceship-like vibe, automakers have to get back to the drawing board to continue selling models in the region.
For now, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) hasn’t given any indication about such bans coming to the United States, nor do the regulatory bodies here have a norm that automatically rules out yoke-style steering wheels.