Tesla’s flush door handles have trapped at least 140 passengers since 2018, with some incidents resulting in injuries or fatalities. Unlike mechanical car doors that typically fail open, Tesla’s sleek electronic handles fail closed, turning vehicles into potential death traps when power cuts out during crashes or battery failures. Now, facing mounting regulatory pressure, Tesla is finally redesigning these problematic systems.
The Beauty That Kills
Tesla prioritized aerodynamics and minimalist aesthetics over emergency escape routes.
Tesla’s retractable door handles look stunning—until you need to escape quickly. Current models scatter manual releases across different locations: under the carpet in the Model S, hidden in door panels elsewhere. During emergencies, passengers (especially children) can’t locate these backup mechanisms quickly enough. Traditional mechanical door handles may occasionally stick, but they don’t require specialized knowledge to operate during a house fire or a crash.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched a formal investigation focusing on power supply reliability for electric door locks. Chinese regulatory bodies are considering outright bans on flush or concealed door handles, which would elevate pressure in Tesla’s key international market.
The Fix That Should Work
Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen promises a unified electronic and manual release system.
Tesla’s proposed solution combines both release mechanisms into a single control point. Press the button, and either the electronic system engages or—if power fails—the manual backup activates automatically. This “muscle memory” approach means you’d use the same motion whether your Tesla’s powered up or completely dead.
Franz von Holzhausen confirmed in a Bloomberg interview that Tesla will implement this unified design across all future models. The approach aims to eliminate the confusion and response delays that have proven deadly in emergencies. It’s brilliant in its simplicity, assuming Tesla actually delivers functional hardware instead of another over-engineered solution.
The Catch Nobody Mentions
Existing Tesla vehicles likely won’t receive retrofits due to hardware constraints.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: if you already own a Tesla, you’re probably stuck with the current risky design. Hardware differences across models make retrofitting nearly impossible, meaning millions of existing vehicles will keep their problematic handles.
Tesla’s talking about the redesign now, but regulatory investigations and potential market bans seem to be driving this change rather than proactive safety concerns. The company has faced scrutiny since Bloomberg’s investigation documented these 140+ complaints, including cases that resulted in severe injuries.
Whether Tesla truly learned that basic safety should trump sleek aesthetics remains to be seen. For current owners, the best advice is simple: learn exactly where your manual release is located before you need it in an emergency.
