Regulators plan to ban fully hidden car door handles, while allowing semi-hidden and traditional handles that include mechanical redundancy. The new rule is expected to take effect in July 2027.
On September 4, sources from automaker R&D teams told domestic media that Chinese regulators plan to prohibit fully hidden door handles, while allowing semi-hidden and traditional handles that must include mechanical redundancy.
According to reports, relevant meetings have already been held, and the new regulation is expected to be formally released soon, with a one-year transition period. Full enforcement could begin as early as July 2027.
Currently, several emerging Chinese automakers—including NIO, Li Auto, Xpeng, and Leapmotor—have widely adopted fully hidden electric pop-up door handles across their model lineups. Sources indicated that some companies have urgently notified project teams to prepare for the potential policy shift.
Fully hidden door handles have long been considered a “tech symbol” of new energy vehicles, valued for aesthetics and reduced drag. However, their practicality and safety have repeatedly come under scrutiny.
Research shows that hidden door handles offer only a marginal improvement in overall vehicle drag coefficient—between 0.005 and 0.01 Cd—far below the 0.03 Cd often claimed by manufacturers.
In terms of cost and reliability, electronic handles are several times more expensive than traditional mechanical ones, and their failure rate is higher. In some after-sales cases for emerging brands, door handle issues account for more than 10% of problems.
More critically, safety risks are rising. In recent years, accidents caused by electric door handle failures have become increasingly common.
Testing by the China Insurance Automotive Safety Index (C-IASI) shows that electric handles successfully pop out after side collisions only 67% of the time, compared with 98% for traditional mechanical handles.
Data from the National Automotive Incident Survey (NAIS) indicate that traffic accidents caused by door handle failures rose 47% year-on-year in 2024, with fully hidden handles accounting for 82% of these cases.
Regulators have been concerned about this issue for some time. In May, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology formally initiated the development of “Technical Requirements for Automotive Door Handle Safety,” explicitly noting that hidden door handles pose safety hazards and require stricter design standards.
Some automakers have already begun to respond. For example, Volkswagen and Audi are adopting semi-hidden designs on new models, adding mechanical redundancy to ensure doors can still be opened in emergencies.
Great Wall Motor chairman Wei Jianjun has also remarked that hidden handles “offer minimal aerodynamic benefits while increasing weight, noise, and safety risks.”
Under the push for intelligent vehicle designs, features such as fully hidden door handles, all-touch central screens, and electronic mirrors were once marketed as hallmarks of a futuristic experience. However, recurring safety issues are prompting the industry to rethink the balance between aesthetics and practicality.
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