China has become the first nation to require a change to make it easier to rescue people from car crashes: Car doors must be able to open from either side mechanically, like by lifting a handle.
The rules, which go into effect in 2027, follow international scrutiny of a futuristic design first popularized by Tesla, but adopted by many other automakers, in which door handles are electrically powered and hidden. They lie flush with the vehicle’s exterior until they detect an approaching driver and pop out. They were embraced by automakers for both aerodynamic and aesthetic reasons, but introduced a new kind of vulnerability: They can malfunction after a crash or a battery failure.
As Bloomberg News detailed in an investigative report in September, Tesla’s electrically-powered doors could become impossible to open from the outside in an emergency, forcing responders to break windows to extract survivors.
I hate the electric toilet flush handles used in Tesla, but I must admit it did feel impressive when I encountered it the first time. I was hitchhiking and was allowed in a car. The door handle was kind of visible but… not really a handle?!
So, I kind of put my hand near it in confusion and “bzzrt”, it came out of the door, allowing me to open the door. It was a cool experience.
Still not one I’d be ready to risk my life for, though.