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Chinese regulators have introduced safety rules banning electronically-operated concealed door handles, forcing car makers to adopt mechanical releases on vehicles sold in the country.

The new rules will come into effect on 1 January 2027, following a series of incidents in which power failures in electric vehicles prevented the door handles from working, trapping occupants inside.

The concealed door handle, popularised by Tesla, is featured on a number of Chinese car models. The handle sits flush with the car’s exterior and must be pressed down to release it. From the inside, an electronic button opens the door rather than a traditional lever.

While aesthetically appealing, over the years the design has raised safety concerns as the doors rely on electrical power to open. This means that if these vehicles are involved in a crash, the occupants or first responders cannot open the doors because there is not enough power coming from the battery to power the locks.

Last October, a Xiaomi SU7...

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Parents

  • We can take this discussion back to the 1960s, when I was learning to drive. People debated then on whether or not to lock ourselves inside the car whilst in motion. It was argued then, as now, that this could hinder people trying to rescue us if we were involved in a crash. 
       Central locking, when it arrived, could be useful. We could lock or unlock us from within, with a single touch. There had been cases of thieves suddenly opening doors of cars stuck in traffic congestion, grabbing handbags or other things of value and darting off into the crowd, impossible to catch. Hence we were advised to lock ourselves in whilst driving through congestion in dodgy areas. But on motorways, unlock the doors; nobody is likely to open a door and grab something when you are doing 70 mph. 
       Then we bought a car with automatic locking. It automatically locked the doors when the car moved off. The instruction manual stated that in the event of a car being involved in a crash of such severity to deploy the airbags, the doors would automatically locked. Well, I hope so. But would this depend on electric power? I suspect it would. 
       I for one am of the opinion that modern car design is becoming over-complicated with features that drivers neither need nor want. I wish to be able to decide for myself whether the doors are locked when I am driving.
       I am glad that China is bringing about this legislation. Since China is now such a major world market, I hope that it will soon apply to all cars. 
       

  • in reply to Denis McMahon

    I remember in the 1990's, that the young racers would shave their handles off to make their car look more sporty. That and flared wheel arches, bigger wheels and sometimes an engine change.

    The question is, which edge case do you design for? There are cases of people falling out of cars at speed (but why no seatbelt?). Its every parents fear that there little one will decide to take off their belt and accidentally open the door. There are also case of cars going into rivers and people struggling to get out due to water shorting out the electrics (and guidance published on how you should do so).

    But yes, considering that China is the major automotive market (consider number of potential customers) compared with Europe or even the US, I expect this will have a impact.

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  • in reply to Denis McMahon

    I remember in the 1990's, that the young racers would shave their handles off to make their car look more sporty. That and flared wheel arches, bigger wheels and sometimes an engine change.

    The question is, which edge case do you design for? There are cases of people falling out of cars at speed (but why no seatbelt?). Its every parents fear that there little one will decide to take off their belt and accidentally open the door. There are also case of cars going into rivers and people struggling to get out due to water shorting out the electrics (and guidance published on how you should do so).

    But yes, considering that China is the major automotive market (consider number of potential customers) compared with Europe or even the US, I expect this will have a impact.

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