China is banning hidden door handles on all cars sold in the country, becoming the first country in the world to target the feature – which was popularized by Tesla but has for years drawn concern over safety risks.

The feature has previously come under heavy scrutiny, both in China and elsewhere.

Last September, Tesla said it was looking into redesigning the way to open its car doors in an emergency, after several accidents where passengers were reportedly killed or severely injured in burning vehicles because rescuers could not open them.

Other Tesla owners have reported having to break their own car windows after buckling their children in and then being unable to get in the car again, according to an investigation by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

An investigation by Bloomberg found 140 incidents of people being trapped in their Teslas due to problems with the door handles, including several that resulted in horrific injuries.

  • SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca
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    20 hours ago

    in case of crash and battery disconnect for whatever reason, you are trapped in the car, cannot get in cannot get out‽‽‽

    You can get out using a manual pull.

    But Americans don’t read manuals.

    • JeeBaiChow@lemmy.world
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      13 hours ago

      Americans also like bad interiors in their expensive vehicles, it seems. That door card looks horrible.