China Automotive Systems' Fully Redundant AP04 EPS Platform Meets ASPICE 4.0 CL2 in Joint Assessment by European OEM and UL
Henglong also secured development rights for a China-based automaker's mainstream vehicle models after meeting its testing criteria.
Sentiment and the balance of points
Rhea-AI Sentiment reads the wording of the document, how positive or negative its language is on a 1 to 5 scale. The balance of points shown with the takes weighs what the document actually discloses, so the two can disagree, for example when a trial that missed its main goal is described in upbeat language.
Rhea-AI Summary
China Automotive Systems (CAAS) announced that subsidiary Henglong achieved ASPICE 4.0 Capability Level 2 in a joint European automaker and UL assessment. ASPICE assesses automotive development processes; the review covered 19 core process areas, including systems, software and hardware engineering, project management and supporting processes. The AP04 electric power steering program also achieved CL2 in the same assessment. The company plans mass production for European markets by the end of 2026.
Henglong's products also met all development testing criteria set by a China-based automaker, securing development rights for the customer's rack-type electric power steering platform-based vehicle models. These models are the customer's mainstream offerings.
How this balance works
Rhea-AI gives every point it takes from this document a weight. Minor counts 1, Moderate 3 and Major 9, so one Major point outweighs several Minor ones. The bar adds up the weights on each side, and when neither side holds more than 65% of the total the balance reads Mixed.
It reads the document as published, with the same rules for every company, and it does not look at what the market expected or at how the stock traded, so a point can be objectively good on a day the stock falls.
Rhea-AI Sentiment measures something else, the tone of the wording.
Hollow bars mark forward-looking points. How the balance works
Positive
- Moderate point. Forward-looking: it has not happened yet and may not happen.European-market mass production is planned by the company for the end of 2026.
- Moderate pointDevelopment rights secured for a China-based automaker's mainstream R-EPS vehicle models after meeting all development testing criteria.
- Minor pointHenglong achieved ASPICE 4.0 CL2 across 19 core process areas in a European automaker–UL assessment.
- Minor pointAP04 electric power steering program achieved CL2 in the same assessment.
Negative
- None.
Key Figures
- ASPICE capability level
- ASPICE 4.0 Capability Level 2
- Achieved in a joint assessment by a European automaker and UL
- Core process areas
- 19
- Areas covered by the assessment
- Planned European mass production
- By the end of 2026
- EPS products developed on the AP04 platform
Key Terms
aspice 4.0 technical
rack-type electric power steering technical
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
The EPS program developed on the AP04 platform was included in the same assessment and also achieved ASPICE CL2, reinforcing the program's readiness for its planned mass production for the European markets by the end of 2026. The 19 core process areas cover systems engineering, software engineering, hardware engineering, and project management, along with supporting processes.
ASPICE CL2 serves as a key benchmark for measuring an enterprise's R&D process control capabilities in the automotive electronics sector, with leading European automakers enforcing particularly rigorous entry standards regarding supply chain R&D processes, quality systems, and process control. By maintaining superior process capabilities, high-quality automotive platform solutions are provided to global customers.
In addition, Henglong's products met all R&D testing criteria set by a leading
Mr. Qizhou Wu, Chief Executive Officer of CAAS, commented, "Achieving ASPICE 4.0 CL2, validated by a leading European OEM and UL, demonstrates that our engineering processes are disciplined, repeatable, and globally competitive. These capabilities strengthen our readiness for the scheduled mass production of our EPS products for European markets by the end of 2026 and provide a scalable foundation for future platform programs with customers worldwide."
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
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/china-automotive-systems-fully-redundant-ap04-eps-platform-meets-aspice-4-0-cl2-in-joint-assessment-by-european-oem-and-ul-302898408.html
SOURCE China Automotive Systems
FAQ
AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
What did China Automotive Systems achieve in the ASPICE assessment?
Henglong achieved ASPICE 4.0 Capability Level 2 in an assessment jointly conducted by a European automaker and UL. The review covered 19 core process areas. The electric power steering program developed on the AP04 platform also achieved CL2 in the same assessment.
When does CAAS plan European-market mass production of its AP04 steering program?
China Automotive Systems plans mass production of its AP04 electric power steering program for European markets by the end of 2026. The program achieved ASPICE CL2 in the joint European automaker and UL assessment.