China has released its most stringent auto safety standard in two decades as the country pushes deeper into the era of automated driving and electrification.

The China New Car Assessment Program 2027 protocol, released last week by the China Automotive Technology and Research Center, is the seventh major revision since the program's launch in 2006, adding multiple test items for battery safety and advanced driver-assistance systems, on top of traditional crash tests.

CATARC said vehicles that meet the current standards, set in 2024, are expected to see their overall scores drop by about 8 percent under the new protocol. Some models are likely to be downgraded by one star or more in its five-star ratings.

Li Wei, vice-president of CATARC, said that new challenges, including human-machine co-driving complexities and mixed-traffic conditions, are fueling the need for stricter safety standards.

A highlight of the 2027 protocol is the introduction of China's first independently developed crash test dummy based on Chinese body measurements.

Previously, more than 90 percent of the high-end dummies were supplied by foreign companies. Those dummies were designed using European and American anthropometric data, which differ from Chinese height, weight and skeletal characteristics.

CATARC said its research team overcame challenges in biomechanics, material equivalence and sensor technology. The new dummy integrates 97 patents and has been used by more than 30 automakers, including FAW, Changan, BYD and Geely, in the development of new models.

Marking the 20th anniversary of C-NCAP in 2026, CATARC said it has conducted nearly 2,000 crash tests on more than 600 popular models from over 120 carmakers across seven upgrade cycles.

With these efforts, CATARC's data show the installation rate of autonomous emergency braking surged from less than 10 percent in 2015 to nearly 75 percent in 2025. The penetration rate of rear-seat belt reminders rose from near zero to 46.4 percent. The installation rate of side-curtain airbags jumped from under 40 percent to more than 80 percent, while child seat anchor points are now present in close to 100 percent of new cars.

Seat-belt reminders and side airbags alone have prevented an estimated 12,200 serious injuries and fatalities over the past decade, according to CATARC.

The evolution of China's car safety protocol has won international plaudits. For instance, a growing number of Chinese brands have achieved five-star ratings in Euro NCAP tests in recent years. Michiel van Ratingen, secretary-general of Euro NCAP, said this shows that Chinese manufacturers have understood the protocols and the thinking behind them.

"C-NCAP quickly adopted the best practices in safety testing and helped the automakers prepare to make sure that when they export vehicles, they meet local requirements," van Ratingen said.

He noted that in the dynamic field of active safety, China has moved ahead of Europe in some areas. Euro NCAP and C-NCAP are cooperating on progressive deformable barrier tests and dummy development.

Van Ratingen also called for the harmonization of test equipment standards to reduce development costs for automakers.

Executives from regional NCAPs also called for deeper collaboration to avoid excessive competition and reduce compliance costs for automakers. Proposals include joint research on crash tools and cross-border public education campaigns.

caoyingying@chinadaily.com.cn