Wuhan – October 09, 2026 -- China Automotive Systems (NASDAQ: CAAS) said its Henglong subsidiary received the ISO 26262 ASIL-D functional safety product certificate for its fully redundant AP04 electric power steering (EPS) platform, with mass production for European markets scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026.
UL, a third-party agency designated by an international client, conducted the evaluation. The certification covers ISO 26262:2018 Parts 2–9 as applicable to the certified AP04 scope and carries the dual ANAB/IAF accreditation mark.
AP04 dual-link design keeps steering control after a single-channel failure
Henglong developed AP04 as a next-generation electronic steering control platform for high-safety steering and L3/L4-level autonomous driving. Its independent dual-link redundant architecture engages a backup link rapidly if one channel fails, maintaining effective steering control.
Within the certified scope, the platform meets ASIL-D safety goals, including a random hardware failure rate below 10 FIT and single-point/latent fault metrics of at least 99% (SPFM) and 90% (LFM).
Certificate targets global OEM market-entry talks in North America and Europe
CAAS said the certificate carries international mutual recognition and is widely accepted in North American and European markets. It expects the certificate to support market-entry discussions with global automakers, subject to each OEM's own qualification and audit requirements.
CEO Qizhou Wu said the certification, together with the company's ASPICE 4.0 CL2 process capability and ISO/SAE 21434 cybersecurity alignment, strengthens readiness for European mass production in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Henglong draws on Wuhan and Sweden R&D centers for steer-by-wire work
Henglong has specialized in steering for more than three decades and operates dual R&D centers in Wuhan and Sweden. It has made breakthroughs in intelligent EPS and steer-by-wire technologies and holds certifications including ISO 26262 ASIL-D, ASPICE CL2 and ISO 21434.