China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has announced new rules that will ban the use of retractable door handles popularized by Elon Musk's Tesla on new cars sold in the country, citing safety concerns that passengers could be pinned during collisions or power outages. US authorities are also currently investigating Tesla's door handles.
Autoblog reports that China has decided to ban Tesla's retractable door handles on new cars sold in the country starting in January 2027. The decision, announced by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, comes following growing concerns over the safety of such handles, which are becoming increasingly popular among premium automakers, especially in the electric vehicle space.
Under the new rules, all vehicles under 3.5 tonnes will be required to have both internal and external handles with a mechanical emergency release. The reason for this decision is that in the event of an accident that disconnects the battery or wiring, the doors must still be able to be opened manually. Although many electric vehicles already have mechanical unlocks inside the cabin, owners often struggled to find or find them. difficult to work in emergency situations. In some cases, the releases didn't work at all.
The conversation about the safety of retractable door handles is not limited to China. Earlier this month, the owner of Rivian publicly called for more visible emergency exit handles after struggling to find them during a power outage. Cold-weather malfunctions, delays in opening, and pinched fingers also cause frustration among owners of vehicles with these handles.
Breitbart News recently reported that some Tesla owners have resorted to purchasing recovery tools to avoid being trapped by door handles that don't work:
Numerous Tesla owners have taken to social media and online forums to share similar experiences and express their concerns about potential safety risks posed by the company's innovative but sometimes unreliable door mechanisms. Some have reported problems with automatic door handles not extending, while others have encountered problems with the emergency manual release levers.
In response to these concerns, many Tesla owners are now investing in escape devices designed to break the car's windows in the event of an emergency. These tools, which come in various forms such as hammers, spring-loaded punches, and even special seat belt cutters, have gained a lot of popularity among the Tesla community.
While the new rules will affect several brands, including BYD and Mercedes-Benz, Tesla is at the center of the debate. All Tesla models use electronically controlled handles that blend into the body, and complaints have been piling up about what happens when the system loses power. At least 15 people have died in Tesla crashes when power door locks failed, and there are documented cases of Model Y occupants breaking windows to escape after the handles stopped working.
Tesla's minimalist approach has long been the talk of the town, but it could soon face major changes as regulators in the US and abroad review whether current designs meet new safety standards. With China being the world's largest EV market, brands offering similar designs will have to go back to the drawing board if they want to keep their piece of the pie. Tesla has reportedly already considered redesign its iconic door handles.
The situation with pop-up door handles is similar to the rise and fall of pop-up headlights. Pop-up headlights, once considered a cool design feature, were eventually discontinued due to safety concerns. Likewise, retractable handles, once considered a cool EV-era party trick, are now a safety hazard.
Read more at Autoblog here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering free speech and online censorship.
