China bans another EV feature made popular by Tesla over safety concerns: 'Looks like it has benefits'

Tesla's electric vehicles don't appeal to everyone, but they have undoubtedly made their mark. However, China intends to outlaw another EV feature popularized by the brand. 

Late last year, China moved to ban retractable door handles because of safety concerns, as first responders were having difficulty opening doors during emergencies. 

Now, it has added yoke-style steering wheels to the list of restrictions that will take effect Jan. 1, 2027, according to Autoblog, which cited a report from Chinese outlet Autohome.

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued a draft proposal on the new standards. In the document, it noted that 46% of driver injuries are associated with steering mechanisms and said airbags in yoke-style steering wheels may deploy unpredictably.

Furthermore, it stated drivers may be at risk of flying over yoke-style steering wheels. "Regulators are essentially telling automakers, 'Don't reinvent the wheel,'" Autoblog wrote.

Given that China is the world's largest car market, its ban on yoke-style steering wheels will likely influence the design decisions of manufacturers well into the future.

As for Tesla, backlash over CEO Elon Musk's politics has previously hurt revenue, but its sales woes have also persisted as it reinvents itself as an artificial intelligence and robotics brand. In the meantime, Chinese automaker BYD has overtaken Tesla as the darling of the EV realm. 

At first glance, China's ban on yet another iconic Tesla feature may seem like a major blow to the American brand. 

However, a yoke-style steering wheel is no longer standard in Teslas. (It is available for an additional fee in the soon-to-be-discontinued Model X and Model S). What's more, the company surely anticipated some sort of regulatory crackdown on its controversial features. 

Electric vehicles regularly earn top safety marks, and Tesla's are no exception. Last year, though, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into Tesla's door handles after reports emerged of children becoming trapped after power failures. 

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At the time, chief designer Franz von Holzhausen said Tesla would redesign its handles. 

"Definitely get rid of flush door handles. The yoke? Looks like it has benefits. I have long legs and always have to squeeze under steering wheels," an Autoblog commenter suggested. 

"Good for [China]. The U.S. needs to follow," another wrote.

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