Multiple departments plan to regulate products that use virtual controls to replace traditional physical buttons in automobiles.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and three other departments jointly issued a notice on further strengthening the management of automotive product innovation design and R&D testing and verification. The draft for public comment proposes that products using virtual controls to replace traditional physical buttons should, in addition to meeting the requirements of the "Safety Specifications for Power-Driven Vehicles Operating on Roads" and the "Symbols for Controls, Indicators and Tell-Tales for Motor Vehicles," also complete evaluations and verifications for touch reliability, anti-mistouch performance, and feedback clarity. Where virtual controls are used for functions involving critical driving safety, their ease of operation, reliability, and safety under various driving scenarios should be evaluated, and physical controls should also be provided. Emergency controls involving safety, such as automotive emergency escape devices, emergency braking devices, and drive system power cut-off devices, should be equipped with physical controls and prominent markings to facilitate emergency operation.