Tesla's door handle design may prompt new federal safety regulations following multiple incidents where occupants became trapped inside vehicles, some fatally.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has initiated a rule-making process to address emergency egress concerns linked to Tesla's retractable door handles. The move follows a pattern of incidents in which drivers and passengers were unable to exit vehicles quickly during emergencies.
Tesla's minimalist handle design requires manual operation or electronic activation, which critics argue creates risks during power failures or system malfunctions. Emergency responders have documented cases where occupants required external assistance to exit vehicles.
The potential regulation would establish minimum standards for door handle functionality and emergency manual override systems across all vehicle manufacturers. NHTSA has not specified a timeline for rule completion.
Tesla has previously defended its design as intuitive and stated that multiple exit methods exist on its vehicles. The company has not commented on the new regulatory inquiry.
This marks one of several safety-focused investigations into Tesla vehicles by federal authorities in recent years.
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