Drastic safety measures are being taken by , saying goodbye to the hidden folding door handles introduced by and followed by companies such as . What does this mean for the new models and what tragic incident brought about the change?
The tragic accident that led to the change
Last October, Chinese media reported that a driver of a Xiaomi SU7 Ultra died in an accident after passersby failed to open the door to extricate him from the burning car. Xiaomi has not publicly commented on the incident, which nevertheless highlighted the serious dangers of “hidden” handles and hastened the change.
For safety reasons “hidden” handles are prohibited
The design of the hidden handles, operated by remote control, mobile or by pressing the handle itself, has been criticized in the US and China for potential safety risks. In 2025, the US Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into the Tesla Model 3’s emergency release mechanism. There had been an accident and a lawsuit against Musk’s company, with a Cybertruck engulfed in flames, the electric door locks not opening, and three passengers trapped to their deaths.
Tesla has yet to comment on the investigation, while China’s industry ministry, enacting stricter passenger safety rules, announced that new standards require every door to have an exterior and interior handle, with mandatory mechanical operation and optional electrical innovation.
What will change in car doors from 2027
According to the new measures:
- All doors should have visible external and internal handles.
- The mechanical release becomes mandatory, the electric only optional.
- New models comply from 1/1/2027 and existing models until 1/1/2029.
With information from Reuters
