China to ban hidden car door handles in industry shiftFrom next year, cars sold in China will have to have door handles with mechanical releases following safety concerns over problems with aerodynamic doors. (Photo: AFP)BEIJING — China will ban hidden door handles on cars sold in the country from next year, phasing out the minimalist design popularised by Tesla over safety concerns. New rules, announced by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on Monday, will take effect from Jan 1, 2027, and will require door handles to have both interior and exterior mechanical releases. China will ban hidden door handles on cars sold in the country from next year, phasing out the minimalist design popularised by Tesla over safety concerns. Electronic or "flush" door handles were introduced to the EV industry with Tesla's 2012 launch of the Model S.Folding into the body of the car, such door handles provide a slight boost to efficiency by reducing drag while the vehicle is in motion.

Source: Bangkok Post February 03, 2026 05:01 UTC