Hidden car door handles that rely on electronics to pop out are common on electric vehicles, but they could soon vanish from some cars exported to Australia after crash safety concerns led to a Chinese ban on the technology.
The planned phase-out of hidden door handles comes amid an electric vehicle boom in China – where battery-powered cars accounted for more than half of vehicle sales last year – and after a series of highly publicised fatal auto incidents that saw emergency responders unable to pry open doors to rescue occupants trapped inside.
While the hidden handles were first popularised by electric vehicle pioneer Tesla, the sleek-looking handles have also been used by brands such as Kia. There has also been a surge in companies using the handles on Chinese-manufactured EVs, including BYD, which exports to Australia.
In contrast to traditional vehicle door handles that may be locked electronically but ultimately function manually, the hidden external handles appear flush with the car’s side. They can only be opened when the handle is activated and pops out, either through the press of a button or another electronic trigger. They are designed to boost aerodynamic efficiency.
In the case of Teslas and certain other electric car brands, occupants already inside the vehicle often don’t have an internal door handle, but can open the door by pressing an electronic button.
Relying on electrical signalling means that in the event of the vehicle losing power, which is common after collisions or if a car is submerged in water, a door’s mechanism may not be able to function.
Manufacturers are increasingly including an additional mechanical release option internally for emergencies, but these backup options are not always clearly marked or easy to access in emergencies. Additionally, there is no mechanical release option from outside.
On Monday, China’s industry ministry, which regulates automobile design, set out rules for where handles must be located on the outside of a car and how they should function to ensure that they can be opened in the event of an accident. The rules also require interior handles to be clearly visible. The rules affect new sales from January next year.
In October, Chinese state media reported that the driver of a Xiaomi SU7 Ultra sedan died in an accident after passers-by were unable to open the door to pull him out of the burning vehicle. Emergency workers were also filmed breaking windows to try to save victims at a 2024 crash involving an SUV from Aito – backed by Huawei – with retractable handles, in which three people died.
While China is the first country to ban hidden door handles, in December, safety authorities in the United States launched a defect investigation into Tesla’s Model 3 compact sedans over concerns that emergency door release controls may not be easily accessible or clearly identifiable in an emergency. Tesla has announced it is working on a redesign.
Independent safety advocate, the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), rewards reliability of door opening in the event of crashes in its rating system, but there are no laws requiring manually opening doors.
Carla Hoorweg, ANCAP’s chief executive, stressed the importance of manufacturers designing doors so that they could be opened manually after a crash or if driven into water.
“We would encourage regulation to follow in this space because I think it’s a clear example of where you wouldn’t want to see unintended safety consequences of a design choice,” Hoorweg said.
Peter Jones, interim executive director of the Motor Trades Association of Australia, which represents car retailers, said that despite no local prohibitions on the handles, developments overseas could influence manufacturers’ global designs.
“Given the scale of China’s vehicle production and export footprint, it is reasonable to assume this design changes could flow through to global vehicle production, including models available in Australia,” he said.
”A shift toward easily accessible handles could improve safety outcomes in Australia.”
Jo Oddie, Australian Electric Vehicle Association acting president, said that while hidden door handles had become synonymous with electric vehicles, safety concerns should be broader, noting that even traditional handles on combustion engine cars often locked electronically.
“Retractable door handles were a novelty that’s perhaps worn off quickly, as people realised the limitation… We all want to be able to open our doors easily if we’re in an accident,” Oddie said.
While Chinese authorities and market forces could spell their fate, Callan Root is among those who like the recessed electronic handles on the doors of his Tesla Model Y.
Root said that while he “never really got on with technology”, he has been converted since getting his Tesla just before Christmas.
“Yes, I can see the flaw in exiting after a crash, and the handles themselves are a bit tricky to learn, especially for older people, but from the inside it’s great to drive, and the fact you can open doors by clicking a button is fantastic.”
Root conceded the potential hazard of being trapped inside after a crash, but he noted the car had other safety features designed to prevent collisions.
“I’m not very tech-savvy, but I adjusted pretty quickly. If the handles went back to normal, I’d miss that, the car would feel dated,” he said.
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Elias Visontay is a National Consumer Affairs Reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Connect via email.
