China Bans Flush Car Door Handles as Safety Fears Grow, Is the U.S. Next?

Tesla's door handles -- both inside and out -- have long been a source of fascination and controversy. The brand popularized flush, "hidden" exterior handles to maximize aerodynamic efficiency and minimalist styling on its electric cars, while its interior button-operated releases pushed the idea of getting into your car into a tech-ier era. As other automakers adopted similar designs, often pairing them with fully electric latch systems, serious flaws began to emerge. In the worst cases, those flaws have proven deadly. China has moved to address the issue directly, and the United States may not be far behind. According to CNN, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will require major changes to vehicle door handle design beginning January 1, 2027. Under the new rule, all exterior door handles must provide enough space for a hand to operate a mechanical release from any angle. Interior door handles must also be "clearly visible" to occupants by each door when seated normally. These requirements follow multiple accidents in which flush or hidden handles contributed to an "inability to open (the exterior doors) after an accident." While the regulation does not explicitly name Tesla, the company is widely credited for making the design mainstream. As other automakers followed suit, the scope of the problem expanded well beyond the American EV brand. In the United States, attention has increasingly focused on electrically powered door systems and the difficulty of locating manual releases. A bill introduced in the House of Representatives could have sweeping implications for flush exterior door handles as they are currently designed. Per Bloomberg, Illinois Second District Representative Robin Kelly proposed legislation titled the Securing Accessible Functional Emergency Exit Act, or SAFE Exit Act. The bill would require electric door systems to include a clearly labeled mechanical latch that is "intuitive to use and readily accessible for the occupant." From the outside, vehicles would also need a way for first responders to access the cabin if power is lost. No other lawmakers have publicly expressed support yet, but if passed, the measure would mandate updates to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) related to door handle regulations within two years. Electrical failures have always been part of automotive ownership. While modern vehicles are far more reliable than ever before, power loss remains a critical vulnerability as vehicles become increasingly dependent on software and electronics. The growing use of advanced computing systems, such as those powering conversational AI, further increases power demand. A 12-volt battery can be quickly drained when a vehicle is not running. Even though the signal between a door handle input and its control module is often well below 12 volts, most actuators still require voltage within about 10 percent of their operating threshold to function. In severe crashes, battery power is frequently lost altogether as wiring, connectors, and cables are ripped apart. Fires can accelerate this process, melting components and cutting power rapidly. When doors cannot be opened, valuable time is lost that can mean the difference between life and death. This is why manual backups are critical. Too often, however, safety considerations have taken a back seat to design priorities. Teslas illustrate the problem clearly. In several models, the rear-seat emergency manual door release is hidden beneath a panel inside a cubby. It can be extremely difficult to locate unless an occupant already knows where it is or the owner has added an aftermarket lanyard or marking. The issue became serious enough that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation into Tesla in late 2025. Rivian employs a similarly concealed manual release in its rear doors, prompting some owners to modify their vehicles to make the cable easier to see and use. In both cases, the underlying concern is the same: When power fails, design decisions can prevent occupants and first responders from opening doors quickly, and the consequences can be severe. Other automakers have addressed these concerns in different ways, including two-step interior door latches and, in some cases, exterior releases that function without electrical power. Others automatically unlock doors after a crash or rely on redundant power supplies within the handle and latch circuit. Even so, the U.S. still lacks a unified rule that clearly defines how manual door releases must work on both the interior and exterior of a vehicle. Hopefully, whether through the SAFE Exit Act or similar legislation, this longstanding and dangerous loophole in the Federal Motor Vehicle will be eliminated.