China bans hidden car door handles over rising passenger safety concerns

China has banned hidden car door handles after safety incidents where people were trapped inside vehicles; from 2027, all cars must have mechanical door releases inside and outside

China has become the first country to ban hidden car door handles on electric vehicles (EVs), citing serious safety concerns, BBC reported.

 

The move follows several deadly incidents in which passengers were reportedly trapped inside vehicles after crashes or power failures. These flush or pop-out handles were made popular by Elon Musk’s Tesla and are widely used in electric vehicles.

 

From January 1, 2027, all cars sold in China must have a mechanical door release on both the inside and the outside. Automakers will not be allowed to sell vehicles that rely only on electronic or hidden handles. The rule applies to all passenger doors, except the boot.

 

 

The decision comes as electric vehicles face closer scrutiny from safety regulators worldwide. In China, two fatal crashes involving Xiaomi electric vehicles raised concerns that power failures may have stopped doors from opening, trapping people inside.

 

What the regulations require

 

Under rules issued by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the outside of every passenger door must have a recessed area measuring at least 6 cm by 2 cm by 2.5 cm. This space is meant to allow easy access to the door handle.

 

Inside the vehicle, clear signs must be placed to show how to open the doors. These signs must measure at least 1 cm by 0.7 cm.

 

Cars that have already received regulatory approval and are close to entering the market will be given an extra two years to update their designs and meet the new standards.

 

Hidden handles common in China’s EV market

 

Hidden door handles are widely used in China’s new energy vehicle (NEV) segment, which includes electric vehicles, hybrids and fuel-cell cars.

 

According to data cited by state-run China Daily, around 60 per cent of the top 100 best-selling NEVs in China use hidden or flush door handles.

 

Although the rules apply only to vehicles sold in China, the country’s major role in the global auto industry means the decision could influence car design worldwide.   

 

Tesla under probe in the US

 

Tesla’s door handles are already under investigation in the US, and European authorities are also considering stricter safety rules.

 

In November, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation into Tesla’s electric-powered door handles. The probe followed reports that the handles suddenly stopped working, leaving passengers, including children, trapped inside.

 

The NHTSA said it received nine complaints related to door handle failures in Tesla’s 2021 Model Y. In four cases, owners had to break the car windows to get out.

 

Which cars in India have hidden door handles?

 

Several luxury and mass-market cars sold in India also feature hidden or flush-fitted door handles. Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles and its UK-based subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover offer multiple models with pop-out handles. Tata’s newly launched Sierra and the Curvv also come with hidden door handles, Business Today reported.

 

South Korean automaker Kia offers flush-fitted handles on models such as the Seltos and Syros.

 

Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) provides flush door handles on vehicles including the Mahindra XEV 9e, Mahindra BE 6, Mahindra XEV 9S, XUV700 and the recently launched XUV7XO.