China to ban hidden car door handles from 2027 in industry shift
18 hours ago
- #automotive safety
- #EV regulations
- #China
- China will ban hidden car door handles from 2027 to improve safety.
- New rules require both interior and exterior mechanical releases for door handles.
- Approved car models get an additional two years to comply with the new regulations.
- Safety concerns arose after incidents like a burning Xiaomi EV where rescuers couldn't open doors.
- All doors except the tailgate must have a mechanical release exterior handle.
- Interior handles must have permanent graphic markings for better visibility.
- China is the world's largest EV market, with BYD outselling Tesla in 2023.
- Electronic door handles, popularized by Tesla, reduce drag but pose safety risks.