China Moves To Ban Hidden Car Door Handles Over Safety Risks
China has announced a ban on hidden car door handles, becoming the first country to formally prohibit the design amid growing safety concerns surrounding electric vehicles (EVs).
The decision follows increased scrutiny of EV safety standards globally, particularly after reports of fatal accidents in China involving Xiaomi electric cars. In those incidents, suspected power failures were believed to have prevented occupants from opening the doors, raising alarms about reliance on electronically operated handles.
Under the new regulations, vehicles sold in China must be fitted with mechanical door-release systems that function both inside and outside the car. State media reports that only models meeting this requirement will be approved for sale once the rules take effect on January 1, 2027.
Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology specify that every passenger door – excluding the boot – must include a recessed exterior space measuring at least 6cm by 2cm by 2.5cm to allow physical access to the handle. Inside the vehicle, clear instructions on how to open the door must be displayed, with signage no smaller than 1cm by 0.7cm.
Automakers with models that have already received regulatory approval but are yet to fully enter the market will be granted a two-year grace period to modify their designs.
Hidden door handles have become a common feature in China’s new energy vehicle (NEV) market, which covers electric, hybrid and fuel-cell-powered cars. According to figures cited by state-run newspaper China Daily, around 60 per cent of the country’s top 100 best-selling NEVs currently use concealed handles, a design popularised globally by Tesla.
While the ban applies only to vehicles sold within China, analysts say the country’s dominant role in the global automotive supply chain could influence car designs far beyond its borders.
Tesla’s door handle technology is already under investigation in the United States, and European regulators are reportedly considering similar safety rules. In November, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an inquiry into electronically powered door handles on Tesla vehicles after complaints that they failed unexpectedly.
The NHTSA said it received nine reports involving 2021 Tesla Model Y cars, with four owners stating they were forced to break windows to free occupants after the handles stopped working.
China’s move signals a broader shift toward prioritising mechanical safety features in next-generation vehicles, as regulators respond to the risks posed by increasing automation and electronic systems in cars.
