China Bans Concealed Door Handles on Cars
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https://insideevs.com/news/786170/china-ev-door-handles-banned/
Following a growing spate of global safety concerns, China has formally banned the kinds of flush, hidden door handles popularized by Tesla and other EVs. Automakers in the world's largest new car market have until January 2029 to change their designs, Bloomberg reported today.
While the Chinese government spent much of last year investigating safety concerns related to the door handles, the move by the country's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology formally puts an end date on the controversial design feature. And although the move only impacts China's car market, its sheer size and importance to the global auto industry—and safety issues elsewhere in the world—could mean a shift away from the door design.
flush-mounted electronic door handles can fail to pop out or unlock the doors if a car loses power. Over the past few years, Tesla and other automakers that use them have come under fire when passengers have struggled to get into their cars or escape from them in the event of a crash.
First responders have often struggled to access the cars in emergencies as well. Bloomberg's own investigations have found more than 140 consumer complaints to U.S. auto safety regulators related to door handles on various Tesla models, and the outlet has linked them to 15 traffic deaths.
In China, power failures reportedly prevented emergency crews from opening the doors of two Xiaomi EVs, leaving their passengers to die in fiery crashes.
