US regulators will begin developing new requirements for automakers to ensure safe vehicle egress, following incidents involving flush, electronic door handles like those on Tesla vehicles. The NHTSA will pursue rulemaking rather than a defect investigation.
The regulatory action could lead to new federal standards for vehicle door handles, impacting all automakers and potentially enhancing safety for drivers and passengers by ensuring reliable egress in various situations, including emergencies.
U.S. regulators are initiating the development of new safety requirements for automakers concerning vehicle exit mechanisms. This move by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) comes in response to a series of incidents, some fatal, where individuals were unable to exit vehicles equipped with flush, electronically operated door handles, a design feature common in Tesla vehicles.
NHTSA announced the new rule-making process in response to a petition that requested an investigation into the emergency mechanical door release design on 2022 Tesla Model 3 vehicles, arguing it did not comply with federal motor vehicle standards. While the agency denied the specific action requested by the petitioners, it stated that the issue is best addressed through a broader rulemaking process that would apply to all automakers.
The decision follows a previous NHTSA investigation into Tesla's door handles, prompted by nine owner reports of being unable to enter their cars, sometimes with children inside. This probe was initiated after Bloomberg's investigation into similar incidents where drivers and passengers became trapped after a crash. Although Tesla vehicles are equipped with interior manual door releases, NHTSA investigators noted that these handles might not function if the electronic door locks do not receive sufficient voltage from the car's battery system.
Tesla designer Franz von Holzhausen indicated last year that the company was working on a redesign of its door handles. Similarly, Rivian announced plans last year to modify the interior door handle design on its R2 SUV, relocating the manual release to a more accessible position near the electric handles.