Hidden car door handles that rely on electronics to pop out are common on electric vehicles, but they could soon vanish from some cars exported to Australia after crash safety concerns led to a Chinese ban on the technology. The planned phase-out of hidden door handles comes amid an electric vehicle boom in China – where battery-powered cars accounted for more than half of vehicle sales last year – and after a series of highly publicised fatal auto incidents that saw emergency responders unable to pry open doors to rescue occupants trapped inside. A hidden door handle on a Tesla. Giphy While the hidden handles were first popularised by electric vehicle pioneer Tesla, the sleek-looking handles have also been used by brands such as Kia. There has also been a surge in companies using the handles on Chinese-manufactured EVs, including BYD, which exports to Australia. In contrast to traditional vehicle door handles that may be locked electronically but ultimately function manually, the hidden external handles appear flush with the car’s side. They can only be opened when the handle is activated and pops out, either through the press of a button or another electronic trigger. They are designed to boost aerodynamic efficiency. Advertisement In the case of Teslas and certain other electric car brands, occupants already inside the vehicle often don’t have an internal door handle, but can open the door by pressing an electronic button. Relying on electrical signalling means that in the event of the vehicle losing power, which is common after collisions or if a car is submerged in water, a door’s mechanism may not be able to function. Callan Root bought his Tesla in December, and loves it – including the hidden door handles. Sitthixay Ditthavong Manufacturers are increasingly including an additional mechanical release option internally for emergencies, but these backup options are not always clearly marked or easy to access in emergencies. Additionally, there is no mechanical release option from outside. On Monday, China’s industry ministry, which regulates automobile design, set out rules for where handles must be located on the outside of a car and how they should function to ensure that they can be opened in the event of an accident. The rules also require interior handles to be clearly visible. The rules affect new sales from January next year. Advertisement In October, Chinese state media reported that the driver of a Xiaomi SU7 Ultra sedan died in an accident after passers-by were unable to open the door to pull him out of the burning vehicle. Emergency workers were also filmed breaking windows to try to save victims at a 2024 crash involving an SUV from Aito – backed by Huawei – with retractable handles, in which three people died. Related Article