Automotive Door Handle Standard Arrives, Electric Hidden Door Handles in Danger?

On September 24, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology publicly solicited opinions on the mandatory national standard "Safety Technical Requirements for Automobile Door Handles" (hereinafter referred to as "Technical Requirements"). The drafting explanation of the solicitation document pointed out that...In response to new technologies and safety requirements for electric hidden door handles, further standardize and enhance the safety of door handles, and strengthen the safety baseline of automobiles.The development of door handle standards was organized and carried out.

Image source: Screenshot from the official website of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

The introduction of the new standard is of great significance. Therefore, experts have analyzed the technical requirements from various aspects.

The draft standard for soliciting comments has put forward requirements for the structure of car door handles and hand operation space. It specifies that the exterior door handle of each door should provide hand operation space in any state, effectively addressing consumer concerns about the inconvenience and difficulty of identifying electric hidden door handles.

The standard draft for soliciting opinions requires that each car door's interior and exterior door handles must have mechanical redundancy design to ensure that, after an accident causing power failure, the door can be opened without the use of external tools through door handles equipped with mechanical release functions, ensuring passenger escape and accident rescue after an incident.

In addition, the draft standard regulates the layout area of the inner and outer door handles, as well as the safety signs and opening method indications for the inner door handles. This provision effectively addresses issues such as poor visibility and insufficient recognition of door handles by clearly defining the layout area and providing visual safety signs, thereby reducing misoperation of door handles and balancing safety efficiency with user experience.

It is reported that starting from 2024, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has organized the National Automotive Standardization Technical Committee to carry out the preliminary research and formulation of standards. During the formulation process, 15 meetings were held, and experts from over 100 domestic and international vehicle manufacturers, component manufacturers, and testing organizations were organized to conduct specialized research and discussions on door handles. A systematic study on the safety technology of door handles was conducted, aiming to fully address the industry's pain points derived from door handles and comprehensively improve the safety performance of door handles.

The standard is expected to be implemented in two years. It is mentioned in the preparation notes that the proposed implementation date for this standard is January 1, 2027.

For newly applied type-approved vehicle models: starting from January 1, 2027, they should meet the requirements of this document except for 4.1.1.3; from July 1, 2027, they should meet all the requirements stipulated in this document. For vehicle models that have already obtained type approval, starting from July 1, 2028, they should meet all the requirements stipulated in this document.