China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has added big touchscreens, customisable headlights and reclining seats to its safety hit list. The move comes soon after the MIIT banned carmakers from using flush door handles due to worries that occupants could be trapped in the event of a crash.

The MIIT has revealed features that it plans to regulate as part of updated rules governing car technology and design, with big infotainment screens at the top of its priorities. A ban on folding and flexible displays is also on the way. 

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The ministry said vehicles featuring “central control entertainment screens, large-area displays, or complex head up displays must undergo safety evaluations regarding information presentation impact on driving safety, functional reliability in extreme environments, and collision safety assessments.”

Reading between the lines, the announcement, which came as part of a public consultation, appears to mean some touchscreens and displays could face bans if they are deemed too distracting for drivers or dangerous in the event of an accident.

The mooted ban on flexible and folding displays comes after the BOE Technology Group debuted one vehicle display that can unfold as it expands from a tight, letterbox-like slot in the dashboard, and another goes from being flat to bending itself backwards to fit a curve in the dash.

‘Zero gravity’ reclining seats, which can recline to a near-flat position like the pews in the business-class section of a plane, could also be banned from use while the vehicle is in motion due to concerns over occupant safety. 

Headlights that let motorists change colours and even introduce effects that look like eyes are also on notice, with the ministry stating they will have to be moderated to make sure they don’t “impact on the safety of other road traffic participants”.