China had already revealed plans to eliminate flush-style door handles, a feature widely popularized by Tesla’s electric vehicles.
According to a report from Autohome, regulators are now effectively advising automakers to “Don’t reinvent the wheel,” as they move forward with banning yoke-style steering wheels as well another Tesla-associated design.
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has released a draft proposal introducing a revised safety standard intended to reduce injuries linked to steering systems.
The proposed framework adds updated testing protocols that require impact assessments at multiple defined locations around the steering wheel’s rim.
Although the draft does not explicitly name “yoke” steering wheels, the revised testing standards effectively require a continuous circular rim capable of absorbing impact at multiple defined contact zones. Designs that remove the upper section of the wheel would struggle to comply without significant redesign.
Yoke-style or half-wheel configurations lack these full perimeter contact points, placing them at odds with the new requirements.
The draft regulation further explains that yoke-style steering wheels may permit a driver’s upper body to travel beyond the rim and closer to the dashboard during a collision.
It also suggests that airbags integrated into such designs may not deploy as consistently as those housed within conventional circular steering wheels.
Traditional round wheels provide a broader contact surface, which can offer improved cushioning when the driver moves forward in a crash. The report indicates that 46 percent of driver injuries are associated with steering mechanisms.
Among the first widely produced vehicles to feature a yoke-style steering wheel were the discontinued Tesla Model S and Model X, where the setup was later available as a $1,000 option.
The concept is even more integral to the Cybertruck, which utilizes a steer-by-wire system that minimizes the need for repeated full rotations, thereby reducing reliance on a standard circular wheel.
The Lexus RZ offers a yoke configuration in select global markets, though that version is not sold in the United States.
Compared to the earlier prohibition on flush-style door handles, a ban on yoke-style steering wheels may have a narrower effect because the design remains relatively uncommon.
In the United States, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not formally prohibited yoke-style steering wheels, provided vehicles meet existing Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
European regulators similarly focus on performance-based crash outcomes rather than design-specific bans. China’s proposed approach appears more prescriptive by specifying impact testing locations around a full steering rim.
Many manufacturers have already been cautious about adopting it, given ergonomic and regulatory concerns.
Even so, China’s position carries weight: as the largest automotive market globally, regulatory changes there can shape product planning decisions for international automakers evaluating future steering concepts.
The updated standard is scheduled to come into force on January 1, 2027, aligning with the implementation date for the new regulations on flush-style door handles.
Authorities will allow a 13-month grace period for vehicles equipped with half-wheel designs that have already received approval and are currently being sold.
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