China Mandates Mechanical Door Releases on All Vehicles

Are hidden door handles a deadly design flaw or an innovative feature with adequate safety backups?

Published 4 hours ago

China Mandates Mechanical Door Releases on All Vehicles

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Above: A man opens the door for a Zeekr X7 electric vehicle in a Beijing showroom on Feb. 3. Image credit: Pedro Pardo/AFP/Getty Images

The Spin

Narrative A

Mandating mechanical door releases addresses a deadly design flaw that has trapped occupants and blocked emergency responders during crashes. Fatal incidents involving power failures have proven that these electronic handles prioritize aesthetics over lives, and China's ban sets a necessary global safety standard.

TechCrunch Road & Track

Yahoo! News on Reddit

Narrative B

Hidden door handles represent an innovative design that reduces drag and improves efficiency, but with engineering limitations. This technology needs to be iterated on more, and the industry needs to strengthen its regulations around door handles in general.

Medium