US regulator proposes industry-wide safety rules for vehicle door handles after Tesla crash deaths
New regulations targeting robust and obvious door egress systems could take up to five years to finalise, with implications for the entire automotive sector.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced plans to introduce new safety regulations requiring all motor vehicles to have robust and obvious door egress systems. The decision follows reports of over a dozen deaths involving occupants trapped in Tesla vehicles after crashes. The regulator declined to open a specific defect investigation into Tesla’s mechanical door releases, instead opting for industry-wide rulemaking. The process is expected to take two to five years, with new requirements potentially emerging by 2030 or later.
Tesla’s electronic door handles operate electronically and sit flush against the vehicle for improved aerodynamics. In several incidents, Tesla passengers who survived the initial crash later sustained serious injuries or died after being trapped inside a burning vehicle. China’s government banned electronic door handles for safety reasons earlier this year. NHTSA has been investigating instances in which Tesla’s handles become inoperable as a result of low-voltage battery problems. The auto industry has historically pushed back against new rules that impose additional costs. Andrew McDevitt, representing families in two fatal cases, has stated that Tesla has repeatedly received reports of doors trapping occupants since the release of the Model S.
Kevin Clouse, a Silicon Valley engineer, filed a petition requesting a defect investigation after experiencing a door failure during a crash; NHTSA denied the petition but cited the need for broader rules. Tesla design chief Franz von Holzhausen stated the company is looking to make handles more intuitive for occupants in “a panic situation,” though no timeline was provided for the redesign. Congress has introduced legislation that would require manual door releases in new cars and means for first responders to gain access to vehicles when power is lost.
The timeline for the finalisation of new safety rules is uncertain, with estimates ranging from two to five years. It is unclear when Tesla’s redesigned electronic door handles will be implemented in vehicles. The specific technical requirements for a “robust and obvious door egress system” have not yet been defined.
