China to ban hidden car door handles made popular by Tesla in world first
cnn.com
cnn.com
You do know that flush door handles are to found across the automobile industry, right?
Range Rover, Jaguar, Hyundai/Kia, Ford, Nissan, Honda. Chinese heavyweights Xiaomi and Aion do it too.
The problem is *electrically operated* door handles --- ones that will not function when power is absent --- for example, after an accident or being submerged in water.
Tesla "fixed" something that wasn't broken.
According to reports, the following cars will be affected by the new regulation:
- Xiaomi SU7, various models from BYD, Geely, and SAIC
- Tesla models 3 and Y
- BMW iX3, Kia EV6, models from Hyundai, Nissan, Porsche, VW, and GM
China will ban fully hidden, electronic-only, or retractable door handles on electric vehicles (EVs) starting January 1, 2027. All car doors will be required to feature a functional, accessible mechanical release for safety.
https://www.techradar.com/vehicle-tech/hybrid-electric-vehic...
Doesn't mean Tesla is responsible for their choices.
Especially 13 years later when we have a lot more data (do we?) that these style door handles are statistically more dangerous than alternatives.
Others are responsible for being being foolish enough to copy their flawed design which prioritizes aesthetics over functionality.