Round Table China Say goodbye to the hidden door handle
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Feb 9, 2026 They debate China’s new law forcing mechanically operable car door handles and why hidden electronic handles pose risks in crashes and power failures. They cover the crash-test data showing failures, how automakers and owners are responding, and whether upgrades and regulations will spread globally. The conversation also explores design trends, safety tradeoffs, and policy vs incentive approaches to fix no-shows and reservation systems.
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How Hidden Handles Spread
- Hosts note Mercedes introduced hidden handles and Tesla popularized them at scale.
- That design trend drove many automakers to adopt recessed and pop-out mechanisms.
Safety Trumps Sleek Car Design
- China will require mechanically operable interior and exterior car door handles on new models from Jan 1, 2027.
- The rule responds to hidden-handle failures in emergencies and aims to prioritize safety over style.
Hidden Handles Became Mainstream
- Hidden handles became widespread: about 60% of top-selling new-energy models had them in April 2025.
- Popularity made the safety trade-off urgent for regulators as more cars used the design.