- China bans hidden door handles with new rules from January 1, 2027
- All cars will require a mechanical unlock on the outside.
- Several fatal accidents have forced an investigation
A design that was first popularized by Tesla and then copied by numerous automakers has been banned in China, after several deadly incidents forced the country to rethink the design of modern cars.
Tesla first introduced hidden door handles, or pop-up handles, on the Model S in 2012 and they caused a stir among the automotive community at the time. Not only did they help improve aerodynamics (and therefore increase electric range), but they also provided a clean surface that made the Model S look even more space-age.
But a series of high-profile accidents that left occupants trapped inside their vehicles focused attention on Tesla and the safety of such a device. According to Bloomberg, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into defects in several Tesla Model Y and Model 3 door handles.
Similarly, several fatal accidents in China, including a crash involving a Xiaomi SU7, led the country to rethink its regulations.
New rules announced on Monday by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology explicitly state that cars sold in China from January 1 next year will need to provide a manually operable space (measuring at least 6cm x 2cm x 2.5cm) to be able to manually open the door. There also needs to be signage in the cabin on how to open the doors from the inside.
The difference between Tesla’s original design is that the door handle remains flush with the body, requiring the driver or passenger to press on an area to first expose the handle, while pulling on one end sends an electrical signal to open the door.
According to The Guardian, having taken a lot of inspiration from Tesla, around 60% of the top 100 best-selling new energy vehicles in China feature the same or similar technology.
Although Tesla includes a manual release mechanism within its vehicles, it has been argued that they are difficult to operate unless owners and occupants are taught how to do so.
A faulty design
Tesla is currently under fire for its once-innovative door designs, with the NHTSA stating that it had received nine complaints about the handles on Tesla’s 2021 Model Y cars, according to the BBC.
But in addition to lawsuits and investigations, folding door handles have also been the subject of scorn from the car-owning public. The mechanisms can be difficult to operate for the uninitiated, while sub-zero temperatures easily freeze the handles in place, often requiring defrosting them before they begin to function.
This isn’t just a Tesla problem either, as numerous manufacturers have chosen to adopt the design given the aerodynamic gains and clean surfaces they provide to exterior designers.
Therefore, the BBC says that security agencies in both the US and Europe could also follow China’s example and apply their own rules on the divisive door handles.
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