On February 3, 2026, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China announced a new ban on hidden door handles with electronic control on electric vehicles. This ban will come into effect on January 1, 2027, making China the first country to implement such measures, reports the BBC.
According to the new regulations, electric vehicles can only be sold if they have a mechanical door opening system both outside and inside. Each passenger door must be capable of manual opening, and clear instructions for using the mechanism will be placed inside the cabin.
This decision was made in light of several tragic incidents on the roads of China, including accidents involving Xiaomi electric vehicles, where a failure in the electrical system led to the inability to open the doors. Cars that have already received approval for sale will have up to two years to make design changes.
Hidden door handles first appeared in the Tesla Model S in 2012 and became popular; currently, about 60% of the best-selling electric vehicles in China are equipped with them, according to China Daily. Experts suggest that the new standards in China may also affect international car manufacturers such as Tesla and Kia.
In the USA and Europe, potential risks associated with electronic door mechanisms are also being actively considered. The American regulator NHTSA has already begun an investigation following reports of incidents where passengers became trapped in Tesla vehicles.
