China clamps down on one-pedal driving, citing pedal misapplication, unintended acceleration concerns

Known by many names, one-pedal mode is one of the key features on a growing number of electric vehicles. This combines the acceleration and braking functions into a single pedal (the throttle) and allows the car to come to a complete stop by simply lifting off, only requiring the driver to stab the brake pedal during emergency situations.

It’s marketed as a convenience feature, but using one pedal for two diametrically-opposed functions does come with the added risk of confusion, leading to pedal misapplication and, thus, unintended acceleration – a dangerous combination during an already critical scenario. China apparently agrees, which is why its latest technical standards for automotive braking systems have attempted to curb such systems.

According to Car News China, the new standard, GB 21670-2025, features new regulations for regenerative braking systems and emergency brake signals over the previous standards released in 2008. Among them is a requirement that by default, a vehicle cannot be slowed down to a stop by releasing the accelerator pedal, and the driver must use the brake pedal to stop the vehicle.

This does not explicitly rule out one-pedal driving, but it does mean that drivers will have to knowingly enable the feature instead of it being switched on by default. Related to this is another new law that requires brake lights to illuminate when the vehicle experiences 1.3 m/s2 in deceleration, no matter if the brake pedal is depressed.

Elsewhere, China will finally mandate the use of ABS as standard equipment. The regulations will be applied to most new vehicle type approvals come January 1, with the specific standards on one-pedal mode coming into effect in 2027. For vehicles that have already received type approvals, the new laws will apply from January 1, 2027 onwards.

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