Tesla and several other car companies are facing a new crisis in the Chinese market after authorities announced a recall of around 4.3 million cars due to concerns related to difficulty opening doors in emergency situations when electrical systems fail.

This is the largest recall in China so far, involving Tesla along with ten other companies. Tesla bears the brunt of the recall, which affects around 3 million vehicles from the Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X models, whether imported or manufactured within China.

Why have door handles become a problem?

Modern cars, especially electric vehicles, rely on hidden or electronic door handles to provide a more streamlined design and improve aerodynamic efficiency. However, this design can turn into a problem in accident situations that lead to the car's electrical systems failing.

In such circumstances, passengers or passersby may find it difficult to identify or use the manual opening mechanism, which could delay the process of getting out of the car or rescue teams reaching people inside.

To address this issue, Tesla will place free warning labels that help identify the locations of the door-opening mechanisms. Other companies will rely on software updates that allow windows to be lowered automatically after a collision, facilitating passenger exits and rescue operations.

China Prepares to Ban Hidden Door Handles

It seems that Chinese measures will not stop at the current recall, as the country is set to tighten door handle regulations from 2027.

Under new standards, mechanical opening mechanisms will be required in both internal and external car doors, which can operate even when electrical power is lost. This follows incidents that raised questions about how easily people could be rescued from crashed cars with disabled electrical systems.

Tesla Considering Redesigned Door Handles

The issue isn't limited to China; US authorities have also opened an investigation into Tesla's electronic door handles due to similar safety and emergency concerns. Tesla indicates it is open to changing the design of its door handles, with the company’s head designer Franz von Holzhausen stating that Tesla is considering integrating both electronic and manual opening mechanisms into a single button, combining modern design with the ability to open doors when power is lost.