Reality check for China’s carmakers as authorities tell them to focus on quality, not tech

Reality check for China’s carmakers as authorities tell them to focus on quality, not tech2-MIN READ2-MIN6ListenPublished: 5:00pm, 29 Aug 2026China’s shrinking car market has received another reality check as regulators step in to police the hi-tech offerings that carmakers use to drive sales.A nationwide inspection campaign assessing the quality of Chinese-made cars that was announced this week would see some consumers shelve purchase plans, exacerbating a bearish outlook for the country’s auto sector, dealers and analysts said.Vice-Minister of Industry and Information Technology Xin Guobin told a news conference in Beijing on Wednesday that new auto products and technologies would be barred from entering the market unless they passed stricter approval procedures.Select VoiceSelect Speed0.8x0.9x1.0x1.1x1.2x1.5x1.75x00:0000:001.00x