China to ban hidden car door handles made popular by Tesla in world first
16 hours ago
- #automotive
- #safety
- #regulation
- China bans hidden door handles on all cars sold in the country, becoming the first to target this feature.
- Tesla popularized hidden door handles, but they have raised safety concerns, especially in emergencies.
- New policy requires mechanical release features for both interior and exterior door handles in all cars.
- Exterior handles must allow operation from any angle; interior handles must be clearly visible.
- The new rules take effect on January 1, 2027.
- Hidden door handles have been linked to incidents where passengers were trapped or injured.
- Tesla, Xiaomi, and Aion are among the companies affected by the ban.
- China tightened marketing and testing rules for driver-assistance features after a fatal Xiaomi crash.