Tesla is redesigning its door handles, which have been criticized for making it difficult for passengers to exit the vehicle in an accident. In the new system, electronic and manual mechanisms will be combined into a single button.
Tesla has begun efforts to redesign its electronic door handles, which have recently become the focus of safety investigations. The company’s chief designer, Franz von Holzhausen, announced plans to combine the electronic and manual door release mechanisms into a single system. The goal is to make exiting the vehicle easier and more intuitive, especially in moments of panic.
Design Changing for Safety Reasons
In a statement, von Holzhausen said, “The idea of combining the electronic and manual mechanisms into a single button makes a lot of sense to me. This is something we are working on.”
Regarding Tesla’s door handles, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had launched an investigation into approximately 174,000 Tesla Model Y vehicles from the 2021 model year. A study also found that injuries and deaths have occurred as a result of doors failing to open due to power loss after accidents.
Although Tesla vehicles do have manual release mechanisms, their locations vary by model and production year, and they are not easy to find, especially for rear-seat passengers. Furthermore, the fact that the exterior door handles are disabled during a power outage can complicate rescue operations.
Tesla was the brand that popularized the flush, body-integrated door handle design. However, this approach is criticized, particularly in post-accident evacuation procedures. While authorities in China are considering banning fully concealed door handles, new regulations for rescue protocols have also come into effect in Europe.
Franz von Holzhausen stated that Tesla is closely monitoring the regulations in China and is ready to make the necessary changes, adding, “We will have a really good solution for this.”
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