On May 28, 2024, the Standardization Administration of China (SAC) announced the approval of GB 24550-2024 Protection of motor vehicle for pedestrians in the event of a collision (hereinafter referred to as “the Standard”), together with its implementation date (January 1, 2025). 

This Standard is a revision of the presently effective GB/T 24550-2009, and will fully replace the latter when it implements in 2025. 

It specifies the technical requirements, test regulations, test procedures and the calibration of the impactor for vehicle collision protection for pedestrians. It applies to M1 and N1 vehicles, but does not include M1 vehicles where the R point of the driver's seat is in front of the transverse plane of the front axle center, or the horizontal distance between the R point of the driver's seat and the transverse plane of the front axle center is not greater than 1100mm, and the maximum total mass is greater than 2500kg; It also does not fit for N1 vehicles where the driver's seat point R is in front of the transverse plane of the front axle center, or the horizontal distance between the driver's seat point R and the transverse plane of the front axle center is not greater than 1100mm. 

Based on the information released by the Standard’s drafting SDO, SAC/TC114/SC33(Automotive Impact Test Procedures and Crash Protection), the reasons for the revision on the standard on the automotive collision protection for pedestrians are:

-  According to China’s statistics of road vehicle accidents involving pedestrians, It is necessary to have a mandatory national standard that can effectively evaluate the performance of pedestrian protection on such vehicles, and to effectively promote relevant manufacturers to actively develop and improve the vehicle structure.

-  Improving the protection performance of road vehicles and pedestrians can avoid technical barriers when the product enters overseas markets. 

The most important point of this standard for MNCs foreign stakeholders is that once this revision comes into force, it would become mandatory instead of being voluntary as the GB/T 24550-2009. It may require some further action to ensure product compliance during the 6-month period before the final implementation date. The fact that the Standard does not have any direct adoption of any international (although it has refers to some technical requirements of the UN Regulation No.127, and the Global Technical Regulation No.9 Pedestrian Safety) may also lead to more attention on products for foreign manufacturers. 

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