[wyx087]

The aim is to prevent a system from being used to bring a car to a halt by its own action, and that final stopping must be by the brake pedal to keep muscle memory for safety reasons.

To aid that process, they then mandate that OPD cannot be a profile setting to always activate it on each start. If a driver wants to use OPD, they will have to manually select it each time the car is started. And even then, it must not bring the car to a final halt, as at present.

Hum, you are right. Bringing to a halt is not allowed.

I think something is probably lost in translation based on different articles I've read. There's also a high likelihood that car journo don't understand EV OPD.

What is the definition of one-pedal driving?

Does using brake pedal for final stop/halt still count as OPD?
The articles seem to think it is OPD.
I don't count it as OPD, I think that is called high regen setting. Hence my confusion.

To me, OPD means the car can be driven solely using one pedal outside emergency. In order to drive a car normally using one pedal, that will include bringing the vehicle to a complete stop/halt.

 

[Hitstirrer]

I think clarification is needed.

Not sure what you don't understand about their proposal.

The aim is to maintain a modicum of muscle memory about where the brake pedal is. And thus be able to use it in an emergency. They think that enabling full one-pedal driving, whatever a manufacturer chooses to call it, means that some drivers will never use the brake pedal at all, as the system works at a sufficient retardation level for their normal driving, and even brings it to a halt. They think that drivers never using the brake pedal will eventually cause issues in an emergency, as their foot is not used to that movement, and that will delay such emergency braking.

As a step towards ensuring that all drivers must use the brake pedal at some stage in each drive, they won't allow OPD to be engaged as a 'sticky' at each start-up, and that it must be deliberately and manually selected by the driver on each start if they want to use it. Also, the final few yards of movement by the car must disengage OPD so that the brakes alone will bring the car to a halt.

This isn't a ban on OPD at all. Just a ban on it being a default setting at each new startup. And to disable the full OPD, which at present can bring a car to a full halt without using the brakes.

They hope that preventing a driver from being able to add it to a startup profile setting, and by deleting the full OPD of bringing the car to a halt, will mean that all drivers will retain their muscle memory over the necessary foot movement from the go pedal to the stop pedal. Without such a change, they fear that because some drivers never use the brakes, they might not have the fast reaction there that will be needed at times.

Obviously, China can only mandate such a change in their own country, but that also means that OEMs wanting to sell there will have to comply. And most likely that will lead to the same changes for sales worldwide.

 

[srichards]

Most EVs require the brake pedal to be pressed to put into drive in the first place so you have muscle memory right there... I don't think any have one pedal with no foot on the brake to start the car. Unless China has that kind of idiocy as default?

 

[ICDP_EV]

Most EVs require the brake pedal to be pressed to put into drive in the first place so you have muscle memory right there... I don't think any have one pedal with no foot on the brake to start the car. Unless China has that kind of idiocy as default?

That is entirely separate from actually stopping the car. This is about retaining muscle memory for the physical act of stopping.

Your assertion is similar to claiming giving the gear stick a wobble to make sure it’s in neutral before starting the car, is “training” people how to use manual gears.

This change in law is studies showed a significant number of people using OPD got so used to “stop = lift off right pedal” instead of “stop = press on left pedal”, that they were losing their brake pedal muscle memory. They were noting a delay in a significant number of emergency brake situations where OPD was being used. Basically regen is not remotely enough braking power to perform an emergency stop and in many instances there was a delay before the brain reprogrammed itself in realtime.

 

[ICDP_EV]

Incidentally, this is old news and was first reported a few months back. I wanted to read the actual test/report to determine how they came to their conclusion. Edit: here is an abstract.

Results showed: 1) The regenerative braking system did not affect driver perception and reaction of the lead vehicle braking event and drivers extended throttle release to avoid rapid speed drops when the lead vehicle braked slowly; 2) the one-pedal mode exhibited a longer throttle to brake transition time and increased uncertainty in timing of brake pedal application; 3) the one-pedal mode was safer than the two-pedal mode in low urgency situations but became unsafe in high urgency or uncertain situations due to delayed braking.

Here is the full link

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4945897

So it was arguably found that it was more the delay in the driver making the critical decision that “Regen isn’t cutting it here” in an emergency situation and applying the actual physical brakes, rather than a failure to use the correct “brake” pedal.

Also I note a complete lack of any of the people against this to think beyond their own personal interests. It’s all well and good saying “my muscle memory knows where my brake pedal is”. But that ignores that as EVs become far more mainstream a lot of new drivers will purely drive EVs in OPD mode and will rarely if ever learn that muscle memory.

 

[donald]

Incidentally, this is old news and was first reported a few months back. I wanted to read the actual test/report to determine how they came to their conclusion. I couldn’t find it.

Also I note a complete lack of any of the people against this to think beyond their own personal interests. It’s all well and good saying “my muscle memory knows where my brake pedal is”. But that ignores that as EVs become far more mainstream a lot of new drivers will purely drive EVs in OPD mode and will rarely if ever learn that muscle memory.

One-pedal or two-pedal: Does the regenerative braking system improve driving safety? - PubMed

Electric vehicles equipped with regenerative braking systems provide drivers a new driving mode, the one-pedal mode, which enables drivers to accelerate and decelerate with the throttle alone. However, there is a lack of systematic research on driving behavior in one-pedal mode, and whether it...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

New National Compulsory Standard GB 21670–2025: Technical Requirements for Passenger Car Brake Systems

On May 30, 2025, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology finalized the development of the mandatory national standard GB 21670–2025 – “Technical Requirements and Test Methods for Passenger Car Braking Systems.” The standard was approved and issued by the State Administration for...

www.bestao-consulting.com

GB 21670-2025 English Version, GB 21670-2025 Technical requirements and testing methods for passenger car braking systems (English Version) - Code of China

GB 21670-2025 English Version - GB 21670-2025 Technical requirements and testing methods for passenger car braking systems (English Version): GB 21670-2025, GB/T 21670-2025, GBT 21670-2025, GB21670-2025, GB 21670, GB21670, GB/T21670-2025, GB/T 21670, GB/T21670, GBT21670-2025, GBT 21670, GBT21670

www.codeofchina.com

It makes perfect sense to minimise its use because humans programme in 'muscle memory' and then do things really badly in an emergency.

For example, I advise 'occasional motorcyclists' to never use the rear brake. This isn't because it doesn't help, but because in an emergency if they are used to using the rear brake then they will 'do that more', lock the wheel and crash. If you watch motorcycle crash videos, about 95% of them are caused by misuse of the rear brake where there is no other vehicle involved.

'Muscle memory' is very powerful in an accident and will overwhelm the sense to press on the brake. If the learned instinct is to pull away from the pedals to slow the car down, what a regular person will do is 'pull away even more' to slow down quicker, and that isn't going to help. In simple terms, to press the brake pedal will then involve a piece of conscious mental processing to over-come the muscle-memory.

This is much the same reason I have concerns on 'driver assist' functions; all they do is create an additional burden for the driver to consciously over-come if they decide it is doing the wrong thing. Sure, it makes regular driving 'easier' explicitly because the driver does not have to pay as much attention (and less fatigue on a long trip, so long as there are no emergencies), but it all turns to shit the moment there is an emergency to deal with and the brain has to kick in.

If you are wondering if 'muscle memory' is a real thing, it is actually programmed into the spinal column. You can spread your usual scorn and derision if you like, but non-conscious (non-processed) muscle control can be 'learned' by the grey matter in the spinal column. It's why people (e.g. gymnasts) can learn skills that require dexterity at a speed in excess of a nerve impulse from the brain to the foot, and gymnasts can be slightly taller than 'theoretical maximum', because a lot of those skills are trained into the grey matter of the spinal column as 'the first response'. The brain has to then deduce what the body has just done and then decide if it has done it correctly. Trying to do that in a back-flip on a balance beam (for example) would be impossible if it were not for such neurological programming closer down to the feet and the signal does not have to go so far. Look it up if you think any of that is an exaggeration.

 

[Briggo]

Maybe I'm becoming a rare type of "correct" driver

How is it "correct" driving.

Correct driving is driving as required by the law.

Correct driving isnt OPD vs no OPD.

They think that drivers never using the brake pedal will eventually cause issues in an emergency, as their foot is not used to that movement, and that will delay such emergency braking.

We've had this topic covered before about how allegedly OPD is unsafe as in a simulated environment apparently some people didnt brake and crashed as they relied solely on the accelerator release to emergency brake.

I dont buy that at all.

Even with OPD I still use the brake pretty regularly, simply because of the idiots on the road or I misjudge in certain circumstances when to lift off and need to apply a bit to slow down quicker.

Maybe they're just bad drivers and its not OPD thats the cause.

You can learn to ride a bike, have years of never riding one and still get back on one and ride it.

 

[ICDP_EV]

You don’t need to “buy it”, the studies found it to be the case. You are using your own experience and projecting that as applicable to everyone. That’s why studies exist for such conclusions and not personal anecdotes.

 

[Hitstirrer]

You can learn to ride a bike, have years of never riding one and still get back on one and ride it.

These days, it's the 'getting on' bit that's harder. You can't step through an old, tall, Dawes gentleman's conveyance.

 

[wyx087]

Not sure what you don't understand about their proposal.


This isn't a ban on OPD at all. Just a ban on it being a default setting at each new startup. And to disable the full OPD, which at present can bring a car to a full halt without using the brakes.

They hope that preventing a driver from being able to add it to a startup profile setting, and by deleting the full OPD of bringing the car to a halt, will mean that all drivers will retain their muscle memory over the necessary foot movement from the go pedal to the stop pedal.

The confusion is the term one-pedal-driving. My guess is the regulation was translated and ICE car journo don't understand the difference.

What you consider "full OPD" is what I consider OPD. That is being banned/deleted in China.
What you and articles refer as OPD, where the final halt/stop action is done by pressing a second pedal, is not one-pedal-driving. That's just high regen setting.

Also I note a complete lack of any of the people against this to think beyond their own personal interests. It’s all well and good saying “my muscle memory knows where my brake pedal is”. But that ignores that as EVs become far more mainstream a lot of new drivers will purely drive EVs in OPD mode and will rarely if ever learn that muscle memory.

Well put. I think having low regen and no OPD (this means the vehicle require a second pedal to come to a stop) as default makes sense. This is the setting I would choose for anyone new to EV and it makes sense for people to learn driving with this. Instinctively moving foot to brake pedal must not be forgotten.

When I was starting to learn driving many years ago, my Dad got me to practice moving from Go pedal to Stop pedal in a stationary car every day before going on the road.


But I'm dead against removal of ability to choose full OPD as a profile option. It's a matter of choice, doesn't affect people who don't like OPD. Hopefully well tuned full OPD remain a choice in many cars over here.

 

[Parkwood]

But I'm dead against removal of ability to choose full OPD as a profile option. It's a matter of choice, doesn't affect people who don't like OPD. Hopefully well tuned full OPD remain a choice in many cars over here.

Erm if it has been shown to be dangerous in some circumstances then yes indeed I want it banned those circumstances might put me and my loved ones at risk of injury or death, other peoples selfish beliefs they and only they should make the decision about such things is unacceptable as they do not live in a bubble only populated but them.

 

[srichards]

Erm if it has been shown to be dangerous in some circumstances then yes indeed I want it banned those circumstances might put me and my loved ones at risk of injury or death, other peoples selfish beliefs they and only they should make the decision about such things is unacceptable as they do not live in a bubble only populated but them.

Should someone with a two pedal car that can't remember where both pedals are be driving at all? Every time you shift into R or D you need the brake pedal. I think this muscle memory excuse is pandering to those that are just incompetent.

The i3 is one pedal and one pedal only. I'd be curious to know if the accident rates are higher in the i3 versus a similar non one pedal two pedal EV.

 

[dashpool]

These days, it's the 'getting on' bit that's harder. You can't step through an old, tall, Dawes gentleman's conveyance.

The real problem is male pattern ego: a step-through frame makes sense for anything except a full-on racing bike, but men will still buy something with a crotch-mangling top tube.

I've 'transitioned' to step-through, even though I still occasionally get my leg over on an older one.

 

[dashpool]

One-pedal drivers are making a choice about whether the situation they are seeing start to occur needs more regen or moving their foot across. Everyone else has already moved their foot across and is ready to put their foot down. So I'd be willing to buy there being some safety issue, even if it is small.

Where it really matters is anyway stop-start traffic where I find adaptive cruise far more relaxing. Surely everyone is just going across to that?

 

[Parkwood]

Should someone with a two pedal car that can't remember where both pedals are be driving at all? Every time you shift into R or D you need the brake pedal. I think this muscle memory excuse is pandering to those that are just incompetent.

The i3 is one pedal and one pedal only. I'd be curious to know if the accident rates are higher in the i3 versus a similar non one pedal two pedal EV.

Fair point but it is the idea that because someone feels all is ok they and only they should be left to make the decision on whether something is acceptable or not when studies indicate there are issues that I was pushing back on.
I think the arguments made about new drivers are also very valid those of us who have been driving for years both manual and automatics have a different feeling for car controls I am sure than some new driver who is starting out only in an EV with one pedal driving. Maybe any test needs to make sure they can drive in normal mode too, but if the car does not have a normal or low regen mode that may prove more difficult……(yes I know test driving school cars and test cars could be specced as thus but you get my drift).

 

[EdH 2]

China doing things like this is an indication that they are flexing their muscles. As I said upthread, using one pedal driving needs to be implemented as a personal choice, and I have no difficulty turning it on and off to suit the driving I choose to do. Don't treat us like babies.

 

[wyx087]

Fair point but it is the idea that because someone feels all is ok they and only they should be left to make the decision on whether something is acceptable or not when studies indicate there are issues that I was pushing back on.
I think the arguments made about new drivers are also very valid those of us who have been driving for years both manual and automatics have a different feeling for car controls I am sure than some new driver who is starting out only in an EV with one pedal driving. Maybe any test needs to make sure they can drive in normal mode too, but if the car does not have a normal or low regen mode that may prove more difficult……(yes I know test driving school cars and test cars could be specced as thus but you get my drift).

There are many other countless studies that have indicated many things are slightly unsafe. (talking on the phone, touch screen, etc) But are still allowed because ultimately the ability to fully control the vehicle always rests with the driver.

For example, I always instinctively move my feet across to cover the brake when wanting to slow down quickly. Most of the time OPD handles it. But OPD in stop-go traffic provides ease of control and I would not buy any vehicle without the option of full OPD.

Another idea for brake pedal muscle memory is to encourage use of brake pedal for turning off ACC, discourage hand control to turn off ACC.

I fully agree that new drivers starting out with EV should not use OPD. The instinct to use the brake pedal when slowing down need to be an instinct. Should use low regen + creep mode to ensure the new driver learns broadest "compatbility" with all cars. It's like manual vs automatic.

 

[EdH 2]

One-pedal drivers are making a choice about whether the situation they are seeing start to occur needs more regen or moving their foot across. Everyone else has already moved their foot across and is ready to put their foot down. So I'd be willing to buy there being some safety issue, even if it is small.

Where it really matters is anyway stop-start traffic where I find adaptive cruise far more relaxing. Surely everyone is just going across to that?

Mmmm. Sort of a good point. Having said that, you could easily argue that adaptive cruise was potenrially more hazardous than OPD.

 

[Hitstirrer]

The confusion is the term one-pedal-driving. My guess is the regulation was translated and ICE car journo don't understand the difference. What you consider "full OPD" is what I consider OPD. That is being banned/deleted in China.
What you and articles refer as OPD, where the final halt/stop action is done by pressing a second pedal, is not one-pedal-driving. That's just high regen setting.

There is no confusion at all over OPD. You keep insisting that there is. But there isn't.

What you are failing to understand is that what they want is to amend OPD to delete one feature of OPD only. They want to delete the ability for OPD to bring the car to a full halt. That's it.

And to add to the desire to make drivers use the brake pedal, they say that OPD cannot be made a 'sticky' feature that remains active each time the car is switched on, as part of a driver's profile settings. They hope, I suppose, that many people will then not use OPD as much anyway because it would only be the diehard users who would grumble but still activate it as part of the startup routine. And then grumble more when they have the incredibly difficult task of moving their foot 6" to the brake pedal when stopping.

They are not proposing that OPD cannot be used. Just that you have to select it manually whenever you want it on each drive. And that the final 5mph of travel to a halt must involve the brake pedal.

 

[MrPaulus]

My feelings about OPD are summed up in the quote from Jurassic Park:
"Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."

OPD solves a problem that nobody had in the first place. Some motoring journalists rave about it, but it's a very recent innovation in the history of motoring, and as this chat reveals, not everyone likes it.

I agree that when you see a car accelerating out of control in those "World's craziest car crashes" videos, it's often because the driver has their foot hard on the accelerator when they are trying to push the brake. That's something that modern cars could prevent with a bit of clever software, especially in reverse.