Technical

Srinivasa Reddy Kandi: China Bans Hidden Electronic Car Door Handles Over Safety Concerns

February, 03, 2026-04:27

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China Bans Hidden Electronic Car Door Handles Over Safety Concerns:

China has become the first country to prohibit hidden, electronically operated car door handles, a design feature widely associated with Tesla and increasingly adopted by other electric vehicle makers.

Under new safety regulations released Monday by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, all vehicles sold in the country must include mechanical door release systems. Beginning January 1, 2027, cars will be required to have externally accessible mechanical door handles on each door, excluding the tailgate, as well as mechanical release mechanisms inside the vehicle.

The move follows a series of high-profile fatal accidents in which passengers were reportedly trapped inside vehicles after crashes, raising alarms among safety officials worldwide. Concerns have centered on electronic door systems that can fail if a vehicle’s battery is damaged or loses power.

A Bloomberg investigation last year highlighted incidents involving Tesla vehicles where emergency responders and occupants struggled to open doors because the electronic locking systems were not functioning properly. In response, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched a defect investigation into certain Tesla Model Y and Model 3 vehicles. Although Tesla vehicles include internal manual release options, regulators noted that these mechanisms may be difficult for children to operate and are not always well understood by owners.

While lawmakers in the United States have proposed rules mandating manual door releases in new vehicles, China is the first nation to formally implement a ban on concealed electronic door handles, signaling a significant shift in automotive safety standards.

Author: Kandi Srinivasa Reddy, Srinivasa Reddy Kandi, #KandiSrinivasaReddy, #SrinivasaReddyKandi