MIIT inspections at Nio Chery and JAC Expand Automotive Safety Review

MIIT Expands Automotive Safety Inspections Across Major Chinese Carmakers

MIIT inspections at Nio Chery and JAC have extended China’s automotive quality and safety review campaign to three major manufacturers operating production facilities in Anhui. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) conducted on-site inspections at Nio Inc, Chery and Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Corp to evaluate product safety assurance capabilities, manufacturing consistency and compliance with national standards.

The MIIT equipment industry development department visited the companies on July 30-31 to inspect their production access conditions, intelligent connected vehicle safety capabilities, design and development processes, manufacturing systems and production consistency assurance measures. Inspectors randomly selected sample vehicles and battery packs during the visits and transferred them to relevant institutions for national standard compliance testing.

Inspection Focus Areas Include Intelligent Vehicle Safety and Compliance

The latest inspections follow an earlier review conducted in Guangdong, where the same MIIT department inspected GAC Aion and Xpeng on July 24. The regulator stated that it will continue working with relevant departments to strengthen production consistency improvements, access reviews and test verification management for innovative automotive product designs.

The inspections also require vehicle manufacturers to investigate potential product safety risks, improve testing and verification processes, strengthen safety assessments and regulate marketing activities. The focus reflects increasing regulatory attention toward advanced vehicle technologies, including intelligent connected vehicles and driver assistance systems.

Regulatory Oversight Increases Across China’s Automotive Industry

All three companies inspected during this round operate manufacturing facilities in Anhui. Chery is headquartered in Wuhu, while Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Corp and Nio Inc operate vehicle plants in Hefei. Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Corp previously produced vehicles for Nio Inc before Nio Inc acquired related production assets in 2023.

The inspections are part of China’s broader effort to improve automotive industry standards amid intense market competition. The MIIT has urged manufacturers to avoid irrational competition and enhance product testing, functional safety, cybersecurity, data security and software update assurance capabilities for modern vehicles.

Focus on Autonomous Driving and Emerging Vehicle Technologies

The regulatory review specifically highlights combined driving assistance and autonomous driving functions as areas requiring stronger safety validation. China continues developing mandatory national standards covering areas such as power batteries, vehicle door handles and driver assistance systems to improve product reliability across the automotive ecosystem.

The latest inspection campaign indicates that regulators are placing greater emphasis on manufacturing quality, technology validation and safety management as automakers accelerate intelligent vehicle development. Companies are expected to strengthen engineering processes and compliance frameworks to meet evolving national requirements for connected and advanced vehicles.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did MIIT inspect Nio Chery and JAC?
The inspections were conducted to evaluate automotive product safety assurance, production consistency and compliance with national standards across major manufacturers. MIIT reviewed intelligent connected vehicle capabilities, manufacturing processes, testing systems and safety management practices. The regulator also assessed risks related to advanced driving technologies, battery systems and vehicle quality control as China strengthens oversight of its rapidly expanding automotive industry and promotes higher safety standards.