China has officially implemented new regulations banning retractable and electric door handles on new vehicles sold in the country, according to Bloomberg.
While automakers argued that the change helped improve vehicle aerodynamics, China examined increasing system failures, especially in collision cases.
It turns out that, because the handles are hidden inside the doors, emergency services began reporting difficulties reaching drivers and passengers for rescue after accidents.
At the same time, there were reports of initially non-fatal accidents that ended up causing the deaths of occupants who could not open the handles after collisions that caused fires and electrical failures in the vehicle.
Aware of this, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China implemented new regulations requiring automakers to provide a mechanical release for the doors, both from the inside and the outside.
The rule will officially take effect on January 1, 2027. For vehicles that have already been approved for sale in China and are about to be launched, manufacturers have been given a grace period and will not have to change their designs until January 2029.
This ban prohibits two types of handles: retractable and electric. Retractable handles are those hidden in the doors and can be used with a push-to-release design. This type of handle is present on many modern electric vehicles, such as the Tesla Model Y.
China also banned electric handles, which extend from the body on their own, like those on the Kia EV9. There was also regulation of semi-concealed handles, where the handle is flush with the body but has a cavity underneath to insert fingers.
The new rule specifies that there must be a recessed space of at least 2.4 inches by 0.8 inches where a person’s hand can grip the handle. The law also requires cars to have signage inside the vehicle indicating how to open the door.
Photos: Unsplash / Mercedes-Benz. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
