On May 8th, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) publicly solicited opinions on the mandatory national standard “Technical Safety Requirements for Vehicle Door Handles,” taking regulatory action to address various issues exposed during the use of hidden door handles.
In recent years, with the rapid development of vehicle electrification and intelligence, hidden door handles have been widely adopted due to their aesthetic appeal and high-tech feel. However, they have also revealed problems such as insufficient strength and potential safety risks in control logic, posing hazards for escape and rescue in scenarios like collisions or fires.
The MIIT proposed strengthening the safety logic of door handles in accident scenarios, adding redundant safety design requirements such as mechanical or power-off protection, standardizing safety markings for hidden and emergency interior handles, ensuring visibility of these markings to reduce escape difficulty in emergencies, and guaranteeing structural strength.
In fact, several recent vehicle accidents have drawn widespread public attention to the safety performance of hidden and electric door handles.
In March of this year, a Xiaomi SU7 caught fire after a high-speed collision, but its doors could not be opened. In April, a AITO M7 rear-ended another vehicle and caught fire in Shanxi’s Yuncheng, where the electric door handles failed due to a power outage. Earlier, in 2022, a Lexus LM in Guangxi’s Guigang remained locked after a collision, forcing rescuers to break the windows. These incidents have sparked industry-wide discussions on vehicle safety in extreme scenarios.
The safety of door handles has also drawn attention within the industry.
He Xiaopeng, Chairman of XPeng Motors, acknowledged design flaws and stated that improvements were being developed. Meanwhile, Jack Wey, Chairman of Great Wall Motors, openly criticized hidden door handles, saying they are “heavy, noisy, and may fail in collisions,” adding that their sole purpose—reducing drag—is “almost negligible.”
With the advancement of the mandatory national standard “Technical Safety Requirements for Vehicle Door Handles,” car door handle designs may shift from prioritizing a high-tech appearance to focusing on safety first.
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