Joint Newspaper reported today: "After multiple accidents in China, the difficulty in opening the doors of new energy vehicles has raised public doubts about the safety of hidden door handles. The official issued a regulation requiring cars to be equipped with mechanically operable external door handles to ensure that the door system can be opened in case of an accident."
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) announced on Tuesday (February 3rd) that the mandatory national standard "Safety Technical Requirements for Automotive Door Handles" has been approved for release. The new regulations require that all vehicles sold in China must be equipped with mechanical external and internal door handles. Even if the doors are locked due to an accident or power failure, they should still be manually openable.
The regulations also require that the external door handle must have sufficient hand operation space relative to the body surface at any time, while the internal door handle must be in a prominent position without obstructions. The requirements will take effect from January 1st next year, and approved models must modify their designs by January 2029 to meet the standards.
Comments: Hidden door handles, with their technological appeal and low wind resistance, have become a signature design for new energy vehicles. However, in several accidents, the doors could not be opened due to power failure or jamming, seriously hindering escape and rescue. The design orientation that prioritizes appearance over life safety has sparked widespread public doubt about the safety bottom line of electric vehicles.
The MIIT's introduction of this mandatory national standard, which requires car doors to be equipped with both internal and external mechanical handles, reserve operational space, and ensure manual opening even when power is cut off, aims to correct the industry trend of "emphasizing appearance over safety" through rigid standards. It provides car manufacturers with a reasonable period for rectification while ensuring the bottom line of emergency escape during accidents, marking a return of new energy vehicle design to prioritizing safety.
The implementation of this mandatory national standard also means that the domestic new energy industry has officially entered a mature phase with strict constraints on safety standards. At the same time, this standard will also exert a strong pressure on global automakers' product designs in China, requiring foreign brands to also make adjustments to adapt, avoiding sacrificing emergency reliability for design showiness.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1856166781627399/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.