Authorities in China are mulling a ban on flush door handles on cars, citing safety concerns, posing a challenge for automakers that have widely adopted the design into their vehicles, especially EVs like Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA).
What Are Flush Door Handles And Their Risks?
Flush door handles, simply put, are door handles that retract inside the door panel when not in use, providing a smooth design on the door, unlike traditional door handles that protrude. Most widely, Tesla has been known to use them.
While the door handles do lend an aesthetically unique appearance to vehicles, they do pose some risks. Mainly, the door handles are electrically controlled and if the car were to lose power, the occupants inside could risk being trapped, which poses a danger in an emergency.
Multiple Incidents, Ford’s Recall
This was evidenced in a recent article by Bloomberg that recounts a 2023 crash in Virginia where a couple was trapped in a Tesla Model Y because the doors wouldn't unlock as the car had lost power. The couple ended up sustaining burn injuries.
While car companies say that there are emergency releases for the doors, they could be tricky to find and could cost first responders precious seconds as they try to carry out their rescue operations.
The family sued Tesla for its defective design, alleging that Sheehan was trapped inside the Cybertruck after the electronically-operated door handles failed to open because of a loss of power and the emergency door releases were "unreasonably difficult to locate in an emergency," the family said in the lawsuit.
China's Proposed Ban
Authorities in China, meanwhile, are proposing a ban on flush door handles in the country, citing safety concerns with the design, as reported by local publication Mingjing Pro on September 4.
The report said that authorities expect to implement the ban by July 2027, meaning that vehicles manufactured after that date would not be permitted to have the retractable door handles.
"We have already notified various projects to implement this," the source cited in the report said. The report also suggests that the design saves 0.01cd wind resistance, which saves over 0.6 kWh per approximately 62 miles (100 km).
Other Companies Using The Design, NHTSA's Response
However, despite the proposed ban in China, there are currently no plans or investigations in place by the Department of Transportation or the NHTSA to potentially ban or regulate the design in the U.S.
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