China has cleared new safety standards for vehicle door handles. And the rules will phase out fully retractable, Tesla-style flush door handles on new cars sold in the country.
The standards cover passenger vehicles under 3.5 tonnes. And they focus on how doors open during emergencies, both from outside and inside the car.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), issued the standards after a public review began in September, 2025. And it stayed open for about two months.
After the review period ended, MIIT moved ahead with the final version. Then it confirmed the enforcement date for early 2027.
Compliance timeline
The rollout follows two tracks. New models seeking type approval must meet the rules within about 13 months of the effective date. Existing approved models get up to 25 months to complete changes.
But some rules apply right away. And these include basic safety items such as mechanical door releases that work with no electric system active. These parts cannot be delayed.
Exterior handle standards
The new standard tightens control over exterior door handles. Handles must open by hand, without tools, after a full loss of vehicle power.
Fully hidden handles that rely only on motors or touch sensors will not pass. And they must add a mechanical backup to stay legal.
The rules require:
- A hand clearance of about 60 mm × 20 mm × 25 mm so fingers can grip the handle in an emergency.
- Structural strength that allows the handle to withstand at least 500 N of pulling force without breaking or losing function.
- Operation after crashes, airbag deployment, and battery thermal events on non-struck sides.
Semi-retractable or pop-out handles remain allowed. But they must present a solid grip and work without electric support.
Interior door release rules
Inside the cabin, each door must include at least one mechanical release. And the release must clearly show how the door opens.
The standard sets these requirements:
- One visible mechanical release per door that works with no electric system and does not require trim movement.
- Minimum strength of about 200 N for standard handles and 50 N for button-style releases.
- Permanent symbols or markings that stay visible in low light.
- Placement within a defined zone, often within about 300 mm of the door edge and reachable from seated positions.
The rules test doors in high-stress conditions. Doors must open after airbag deployment, including side curtains, in non-impact areas.
They must function when the high-voltage battery is damaged and parts of the electrical system shut down. And they must still work after a total loss of 12V power.
For sides not hit in a crash, doors must open from the outside without tools. So bystanders and first responders can attempt rescues.
In a September 2025 interview, Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen spoke about the issue. He said the current layout can confuse people during panic situations. And he pointed to the separation between electronic releases and manual emergency levers.
He said,
“The idea of combining the electronic one and the manual one together into one button, I think, makes a lot of sense. That’s something that we’re working on.”
Tesla has not shared a firm schedule for these changes. And the company has not said if existing vehicles can receive updates or if the changes will apply only to new production.
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