Tesla door handle malfunction traps child and is investigated: Design Chief Plans to Redesign Door Handle

According to reports from Fast Technology on September 18, U.S. authorities are investigating a potential issue with "electronic door handle failure" in certain Tesla electric vehicles, involving approximately 174,000 vehicles.

Some car owners claimed that they were locked outside after getting out of the car because the electronic door handle malfunctioned, making it impossible to open the door, and their children were trapped in the back seat of the car. They had to break the window glass.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the United States stated that it is further assessing the scope and severity of the issue. If it ultimately determines that the electronic door handle issue poses an unreasonable risk to vehicles, the affected vehicles will face a recall.

Franz von Holzhausen, Tesla's senior design director, stated in an interview this Wednesday that the company is seeking to integrate electronic and manual unlocking devices, which are currently located in different positions. He mentioned that this adjustment aims to make it more intuitive for occupants to operate the door handle in "emergency situations."

"I believe that the design concept of combining electronic and manual unlocking functions into the same button is very reasonable. This is exactly the direction we are researching."

Holzhausen did not specify the reason prompting Tesla to consider redesigning the car door handles, and Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for further comment.

According to reports, there have been a series of cases where Tesla doors could not be opened, especially after accidents. The mechanical door handles inside Tesla cars are located in different positions for different model years, and passengers may not be able to find them in time. Additionally, in the event of a power outage, the external door handles may also be unusable.

In addition, there are reports that Chinese regulatory authorities are planning to ban the use of fully hidden door handles in the entire automobile industry.

Holzhausen stated that Tesla is examining the details of potential adjustments in the Chinese market and is ready to make the necessary changes.