China calls for higher auto industry standards

There is a growing consensus among the media and the Chinese government that China needs compulsory national standards in a variety of industries, according to reports released on Consumer Day, which is observed each year on March 15.
The auto industry in particular has garnered a great deal of attention in the past few weeks.
First came media reports about Volkswagen’s defective direct-shift gear transmission systems. Then it was reported that auto brands BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz cut costs in their locally produced vehicles by using a potentially toxic agent called bitumen to make pads that reduce noise, vibration and harshness.
After car owners complained of an unpleasant odor in vehicles manufactured by these automakers, it was reported that the bitumen released toxic emissions that can cause health issues, according to the same reports.
A special material called polymer-modified bitumen is widely used throughout the global auto industry to make NVH pads, which are used for noise dampening and vibration reduction. This bitumen is not to be confused with the bitumen used in paving.
NVH pads used in Mercedes-Benz vehicles produced in China and the rest of the world are all sourced from the same German supplier and made in full compliance with the Global Automotive Declarable Substance List.
This issue has led to wide calls for the establishment of compulsory national standards for interior air quality inside vehicles produced in China.
In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency requires auto manufacturers to declare the materials they use during production and undergo a review to ensure that harm to the environment and human health is minimized.
Germany has regulations governing interior vehicle pollutants, including a measure that requires new cars to undergo a period of airing out so that toxic air pollutants are dissipated before the cars go on sale.
This shows that leading auto brands with experience in global markets should work together with regulators to cultivate strict compulsory standards that benefit Chinese citizens. This is particularly important for premium automakers, for which Chinese consumers have even higher expectations.
(April 2, 2013)