China's auto regulators eye ban on retractable door handles, report says
5 hours ago
- #regulations
- #automotive safety
- #car design
- Chinese regulators plan to ban fully retractable car door handles due to safety and functional concerns.
- New regulations may allow semi-retractable and traditional handles but require mechanical redundancy.
- A draft for mandatory standards is expected this month, with enforcement starting in July 2027.
- Hidden door handles are criticized for high failure rates, safety risks, and minimal aerodynamic benefits.
- Incidents include trapped occupants due to frozen handles and short circuits during heavy rain.
- Electronic handles have a 67% success rate in crash tests vs. 98% for mechanical handles.
- Complaints about hidden handles include child injuries and inconvenience in extreme weather.
- Some automakers like Volkswagen and FAW–Audi already use safer semi-retractable designs.
- The ban aligns with broader regulatory efforts to improve automotive safety standards.
- International bodies like Euro NCAP are also tightening rules on touchscreen controls.