To address safety concerns, China will outlaw cars with hidden door handles
China will ban hidden door handles on cars starting in 2027, becoming the first country to phase out a design pioneered by Tesla and adopted by Chinese competitors such as Xiaomi.
The hidden handle design, which works via a key fob, mobile phone, or by pressing it manually. It has come under scrutiny in both the US and China due to potential safety risks.
Last year, the US automotive safety agency opened an investigation into defects in the emergency door opening controls of the Tesla Model 3 sedan. Tesla, which did not comment on the investigation at the time, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.
China’s Ministry of Industry said on Monday that, according to its new technical safety requirements. All car doors must be equipped with exterior and interior handles.
Mechanical opening designs will be mandatory, while innovations such as electric handles will be optional.
The Ministry of Industry in Japan said on Monday that all automobile doors must have both outside and interior handles in accordance with its new technical safety regulations.
While improvements like electric handles will be optional, mechanical opening designs will be required.
