China considers limits on electric car door handle designs

China is banning hidden handles

China has released a draft door-handle safety standard for public comment that would require mechanical door releases and defined hand-access space, effectively disallowing electric-only, fully hidden handles.

Automakers may need to revise future models sold in China to include mechanical releases and meet placement and hand-access rules if the draft is finalized.

The ban does not include traditional handles or semi-retractable handles. But even those must now have a mechanical backup system. This backup is a way to open the door with your hands, and it must work even when the car has no electric power.

Accidents from failed handles jumped

The National Accident In-depth Investigation System (NAIS) in China reported a significant increase in car accidents caused by failed door handles. Data from 2024 showed a significant 47% increase in handle-related accidents compared to the previous year.

In 2024, there was a 47% increase in accidents due to door handle failures, according to the National Accident In-depth Investigation System (NAIS), with hidden handles being responsible for an astounding 82% of these instances.

Crash tests show doors stick

Safety tests conducted by the China Insurance Automotive Safety Index (C-IASI) yielded some alarming results following a side-impact crash. Cars with those sleek, electronic door handles often got stuck.

The test showed the electronic handles only worked 67% of the time to open the door after a crash. However, simple mechanical handles worked almost every time, with a 98% success rate. This significant 31% difference highlights why regulators consider electronic handles too risky in an emergency.

Handles break eight times more often

The hidden, electronic car door handles are not only unsafe but also prone to frequent breakdowns. These high-tech handles fail much more often than easy-to-use mechanical handles.

Reports indicate that electronic handles fail eight times more frequently than simple, proven mechanical ones. The small motors, sensors, and intricate parts inside can easily be damaged by dirt, water, or excessive use. This makes them very unreliable for drivers.

Repair costs are three times more

If an electronic door handle breaks, it can be expensive to repair. To fix one, you must replace the entire complex piece, including the motor and the computer chip. A simple cable from an old car is much cheaper to fix.

Due to the specialized electronic components, hidden handles reportedly cost three times more to manufacture and repair than traditional handles. This high cost adds up fast for car owners who want their door to work.

Aerodynamic benefits are minimal

Car companies often say they use flush handles to improve aerodynamics. This means the car slides through the air more efficiently, which should conserve a little energy. Some automakers previously claimed a high 0.03 Cd improvement, but subsequent studies proved this to be false.

The realistic benefit is minimal, reducing the drag coefficient (Cd) by only about 0.005 to 0.01. This small change saves approximately 0.6 kWh of energy for every 62 miles (100 km) driven. The heavy motor inside often cancels out this tiny gain.

Added weight cancels out efficiency

The slight gain in how the car cuts through the air is often lost due to the heavy parts required for the hidden handles. These electric systems are not light.

The motor and gears required to push the handle out can add weight to the car, ranging from 7 to 8 kg (approximately 15 to 18 pounds). This extra weight makes the car use more energy. Thus, the complex system does almost nothing to improve the car’s efficiency.

Complaints about pinched fingers jumped

The automatic movement of electronic door handles in and out has caused many injuries. Chinese authorities reported a massive increase in complaints about children getting their fingers pinched by the moving handles.

There was a shocking 132% jump in complaints about these automatic handles pinching fingers. Some of the incidents were so bad that they resulted in broken bones. Any car part that causes this many injuries has a serious safety defect.

Winter ice can trap people

The electronic handles stopped working in icy weather, like during the winter of 2024 in Changchun, China. Ice and low temperatures caused the tiny motors that moved the handles to freeze solid.

This “frozen door” problem left many people trapped inside or locked out of their cars. Some passengers even had to break windows to escape, demonstrating the system’s unreliability in extreme cold conditions.

U.S. safety group started a probe

The leading U.S. auto safety agency, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), started a new investigation on September 15, 2025. The probe examines the door handles on approximately 174,000 of the 2021 Tesla Model Y cars.

The NHTSA initiated the probe after receiving nine reports from owners who were unable to open their car doors from the outside. The investigation is the first step before the agency can determine if a recall is necessary to address the problem.

Handles fail from low power

The NHTSA found that the handle problem occurs when the electric locks do not receive sufficient power from the car’s 12V battery. When the power is too low, the handles won’t work. The handle often worked again after the battery was replaced due to the problem.

However, none of the car owners who reported the issue saw a low-voltage warning light before the outside door handles stopped working. This means the failure comes as a surprise.

Kids were trapped inside cars

The NHTSA investigation found serious safety problems. Out of the nine reported incidents, four involved parents attempting to remove their children from the backseat. The handles would not open the doors.

These four parents had to break a car window to reach their children. Even though there is a manual door release inside the car, young children are often too small to reach or figure out how to operate it, leaving them trapped.

China started the process in May 2025

The Chinese government agency leading the new rule, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), formally started the safety process on May 8, 2025. They published a draft of the required national safety standards on this date.

The document is called the “Safety Technical Requirements for Automobile Door Handles.” This formal action demonstrates that the government’s concern about the door handles is serious, and it began months ago with official paperwork.

The new ban includes trucks and vans

The new safety rule applies to more than just small cars. The draft from the MIIT is expected to include a wide variety of vehicles sold in China, once the rule is final.

Specifically, the new rule is expected to include all multipurpose vehicles (such as minivans) and cargo vehicles (including small trucks). These vehicles must have a maximum design weight of 3.5 tons or less. This ensures that a variety of different vehicles will receive a reliable mechanical backup.

Curious how the pressure is hitting global carmakers? Read more in China competition and US tariffs drag down Mercedes earnings.

One EV brand has a 12% handle problem

The lack of reliability for electric door handles is a considerable problem for some companies. Local reports in China indicate that door handle failures account for 12% of all repair cases for one major Electric Vehicle (EV) brand.

This high percentage clearly indicates the frequency of electronic system malfunctions. When 12% of all problems at a repair shop are caused by the door handle, it proves that the design is too complicated and unreliable for customers.

Want the full story behind the surprising EV shift? Click through to another curveball from China raises eyebrows over EV numbers.

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This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.