WUHAN, China, Oct. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- China Automotive Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CAAS) ("CAAS" or the "Company"), a leading power steering components and systems supplier in China, today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Hubei Henglong Automotive System Group ("Henglong"), has achieved fully redundant AP04 EPS platform evaluations conducted by UL, a third-party agency designated by an international client, and received the ISO 26262 ASIL-D functional safety product certificate for the AP04 EPS platform.

The AP04 EPS platform is a next-generation electronic steering control platform developed by Henglong to meet the demands for high-safety steering and L3/L4-level autonomous driving. It features an independent dual-link redundant design in the event of a single-channel failure. A backup link rapidly engages to maintain effective steering control, ensuring the ASIL-D safety goals are met, including a random hardware failure rate below 10 FIT and the applicable single-point/latent fault metrics (SPFM ≥99% / LFM ≥90%) within the certified scope.

The UL certification addressed ISO 26262:2018 Parts 2–9 as applicable to the certified AP04 scope and holds the dual ANAB/IAF accreditation mark. This certificate is expected to support market-entry discussions with global OEMs, subject to each automaker's own qualifications and audit requirements. The ASIL-D certificate carries international mutual recognition and is widely accepted in both North American and European markets with mass production for the European markets scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026.

Henglong has specialized in the steering sector for over three decades. Leveraging dual R&D centers in Wuhan and Sweden, the Company made breakthroughs in intelligent EPS and steer-by-wire technologies, achieving multiple international certifications including ISO 26262 ASIL-D, ASPICE CL2, and ISO 21434.

Mr. Qizhou Wu, Chief Executive Officer of CAAS, commented, "The ASIL-D product certification for our AP04 EPS platform, together with our ASPICE 4.0 CL2 process capability and ISO/SAE 21434 cybersecurity alignment, strengthens our readiness for European mass production in the fourth quarter of 2026. We are positioned to serve global OEMs requiring the highest safety standards in steering systems."

About China Automotive Systems, Inc.

Based in Hubei Province, the People's Republic of China, China Automotive Systems, Inc. is a leading supplier of power steering components and systems to the Chinese automotive industry, operating through its sixteen Sino-foreign joint ventures and wholly-owned subsidiaries. The Company offers a full range of steering system parts for passenger automobiles and commercial vehicles. The Company currently offers four separate series of power steering with an annual production capacity of over 8 million sets of steering gears, columns and steering hoses. Its customer base is comprised of leading auto manufacturers, such as China FAW Group, Corp., Dongfeng Auto Group Co., Ltd., BYD Auto Company Limited, Beiqi Foton Motor Co., Ltd. and Chery Automobile Co., Ltd. in China, and Stellantis N.V. and Ford Motor Company in North America. For more information, please visit: https://www.caasauto.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains statements that are "forward-looking statements" as defined under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements represent our estimates and assumptions only as of the date of this press release. Our actual results may differ materially from the results described in or anticipated by our forward-looking statements due to certain risks and uncertainties. As a result, the Company's actual results could differ materially from those contained in these forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including those described under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 20-F as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 22, 2026, and in documents subsequently filed by the Company from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any of these factors and other factors beyond our control could have an adverse effect on the overall business environment, cause uncertainties in the regions where we conduct business, cause our business to suffer in ways that we cannot predict, and materially and adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations. A prolonged disruption or any further unforeseen delay in our operations of the manufacturing, delivery and assembly process within any of our production facilities could continue to result in delays in the shipment of products to our customers, increased costs and reduced revenue. We expressly disclaim any duty to provide updates to any forward-looking statements made in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For further information, please contact:

Jie Li
Chief Financial Officer
China Automotive Systems, Inc.
jieli@chl.com.cn 

Kevin Theiss
Awaken Advisors
+1-212-510-8922
Kevin@awakenlab.com