Tesla plans to redesign its door-handle system

Tesla is redesigning its door-handle system to make it easier for passengers to exit vehicles in emergencies, Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen said in an interview with Bloomberg on Sept. 17. 

Holzhausen revealed the company is studying ways to integrate its separate electronic and manual unlocking mechanisms into a single button to reduce the risk of misuse. He said the approach “makes a lot of sense” and would improve intuitiveness in critical situations. 

The move coincides with Chinese regulators’ plans to restrict fully hidden electronic handles across the auto industry. Draft rules would ban such designs in favor of semi-hidden or traditional handles that must include mechanical redundancy, with implementation scheduled for July 2027, Holzhausen said.

 

Tesla is reviewing potential regulatory adjustments in China and is prepared to comply. Just a day earlier, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) disclosed it is examining door-latch problems in about 174,000 Model Y vehicles from 2021, focusing on risks that electric doors may fail to open during emergencies. 

NHTSA records show the agency has received more than 140 complaints since 2018 regarding Tesla models, citing cases where doors became stuck or could not be opened when power was cut. The complaints cover not only the 2021 Model Y but also the 2012 Model S, 2023 Model 3, and 2020, 2022 and 2023 Model Y variants. 

Tesla was among the first automakers to popularize flush electronic handles, later emulated by many rivals. But the design’s real-world safety risks have increasingly drawn scrutiny from safety advocates and regulators worldwide.