Additional Coverage:
- China moves to ban feature commonly seen on Tesla vehicles over fear of trapped passengers (foxbusiness.com)
China Puts the Brakes on Tesla’s Flush Door Handles, Citing Safety Concerns
Beijing is set to implement new safety regulations that will require all vehicles sold in China to feature traditional, mechanical door releases, effectively banning the sleek, electronically activated door handles popularized by Tesla. The new rules, issued by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, are slated to take effect on January 1, 2027.
Under the forthcoming regulations, every vehicle door-excluding the tailgate-will be mandated to have a manually-released external door handle, alongside a mechanical release on the interior. This move marks China as the first country to impose such a ban, influencing not only Tesla but also a growing number of Chinese automakers like Xiaomi, which have adopted the minimalist design.
The decision follows several high-profile incidents where power failures reportedly trapped occupants inside vehicles, hindering their escape or rescue. These incidents included fiery crashes involving electric vehicles (EVs) from Xiaomi Corp.
“China is shifting from being just the largest EV market to being a rule-setter for how new vehicle technologies are regulated,” noted Bill Russo, founder of Shanghai-based consultancy Automobility. He emphasized that Beijing’s proactive stance could leverage its massive domestic market to establish safety standards that both local and international automakers must adhere to, potentially influencing global norms as Chinese EV exports expand.
Meanwhile, in the United States, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), under the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), initiated a defect probe in December into the emergency door release controls of approximately 179,071 Tesla Model 3 sedans from the 2022 model year. While Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 206 addresses door locks and retention components to prevent occupant ejection in crashes, it does not specifically mandate a manual door release in the event of power loss.
However, NHTSA representatives indicated that a lack of a reasonable means for occupants to enter or exit a vehicle could be deemed a safety defect, potentially leading to a recall. The initiation of a defect petition does not, however, guarantee a recall will be issued.
Tesla and Xiaomi have been contacted for comment regarding these developments.