Great Wall Motor (GWM) chairman Wei Jianjun has pushed back against the industry's breakneck launch pace, insisting that safety validation cannot be sacrificed for speed. His comments came as the company marked its 4,000th physical crash test on September 14, according to Chinese automotive outlet Gasgoo.
Wei likened the current market to "dumplings being dropped into a pot," with new models arriving in rapid succession. But he stressed that GWM will not compress or skip any step in its safety verification process to keep up with rivals.
The milestone test involved a right-hand-drive export version of the Haval Raptor (known as the Haval Menglong in China), fitted with child dummies representing a 6-year-old and a 10-year-old to simulate a family outing. The test, conducted at GWM's new safety laboratory, verified occupant protection under overseas driving conditions and met expectations, the company said.
18 years, 4,000 crashes
GWM built its first independent safety laboratory in 2008, becoming the first Chinese automaker to do so. Over the past 18 years, it has completed 4,000 crash tests. The new facility, which cost 510 million yuan (about $71.8 million), features a "five-zone, eight-track" layout designed to replicate real-world road conditions and overseas traffic environments.
Wei acknowledged that safety laboratories are an "invisible investment" that does not directly translate into sales. "But building cars must hold the safety bottom line," he said. "The goal is to ensure consumers get reliable protection in critical moments."
He argued that the new lab's core value lies in supporting the development of global models with higher safety redundancy, even as the industry's pace of new launches accelerates. "Safety has red lines and bottom lines, but no ceiling," Wei added.
