Chinese government points out danger in design that imitates airplane joystick and gives deadline for automakers to return to the round shape
The Chinese government has determined the banning of “yoke” type steering wheels — a rectangular model similar to an airplane joystick — in all new vehicles as of January 1, 2027. The decision, formalized by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), updates the country’s road safety protocols and adds to the recent ban on retractable door handles in the country. The move directly affects the design strategies of automakers such as Tesla and Lexus in the world’s largest automotive market.
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The prohibition is not aesthetic, but technical. The update of the national standard introduces stricter criteria for occupant protection. Statistics presented by the Chinese authorities indicate that 46% of the injuries suffered by drivers in collisions originate from direct contact with the steering system.
To mitigate these risks, the new regulation requires that the steering wheel be subjected to impact tests at ten specific points on its circumference. The yoke shape, because it is open at the top, automatically fails to provide the physical area needed for these tests, such as the “midpoint of the weakest area” or the “unsupported section”. Without this structure, the absorption of energy in a crash is compromised, increasing the lethality of accidents.
The yoke veto reinforces a wave of regulatory skepticism from China against automotive innovations that prioritize design over functional safety. Recently, the country also banned hidden power handles after records of passengers stuck in vehicles during post-collision electrical failures.
Although the yoke steering wheel has become a marketing differentiator for Tesla (in the S and X models) and for Lexus (in the RZ SUV), the functionality has always divided opinions. While enthusiasts defend the better visibility of the panel, critics point out the ergonomic difficulty in maneuvers. With the stipulated adaptation deadline, manufacturers will have to adjust their production lines to ensure that their models remain approved for sale on Chinese streets.
