The End of Hidden Door Handles?
The sleek, flush door handles that Tesla popularized have become automotive design’s equivalent of form over function, taken too far. China’s new safety regulations explicitly prohibit these hidden mechanisms, marking the first time a major market has drawn a regulatory line in the sand, with more markets likely to follow.
It’s not hard to see why there’s backlash against hidden door handles. In certain crash scenarios involving power loss, these mechanisms may fail to operate as intended, potentially delaying or complicating occupant egress when time matters most. What began as a clean design flourish has increasingly revealed itself as a point of vulnerability rather than progress.
Cadillac
When Minimalist Design Philosophy Meets Reality
There’s no denying the visual appeal of hidden door handles. They help improve aerodynamics and drag coefficients to a minor extent, and just look futuristic, right? However, they’re also powered by electricity, have added mechanical complexity, and are potential points of failure. Simple mechanical levers have been reliable for over one hundred years and counting at this point.
Interior emergency release mechanisms located beneath speakers or in the door pocket (where occupants may not even think to look) indicate that designers knew that these systems had some issues with reliability. Manufacturers apparently think that most owners would remember plan B to open their doors in moments of panic. This optimism has been shown to be less-than-ideal at best, deadly at worst, and one that safety regulators are increasingly unwilling to accept.
Volvo
The Regulatory Domino Effect
Automakers now have to decide if they want to continue to manufacture two types of door handles for two distinct markets – including a third of the world’s vehicle sales in China – and pay for the increased cost and complexity of manufacturing. Or, they could go back to traditional exterior/interior door handles that work regardless of the situation.
Since automotive regulations never seem to reverse themselves once safety data builds up, it looks like the writing is on the wall for electrically-operated door handles. The next generation of electric vehicles will likely feature door handles that look like door handles again – and prove that sometimes the old ways are just better than the new ones we come up with.
