China has decided to ban one of the most iconic symbols Tesla Vehicle Features in order to control the safety of the vehicle.
New safety rules released by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology state that cars sold in China will have to have mechanical releases on their door handles, according to TechCrunch. The outlet added that the rules, which will come into effect on January 1, 2027, will ban hidden and electronically activated door handles.
Under the new rules, every vehicle door except the tailgate will have to be equipped with a manually-triggered exterior door handle and vehicles will have to have a mechanical release inside, TechCrunch reported.
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A Tesla Model Y is shown charging at a Tesla dealership in Buena Park, California on January 28, 2026. (Mike Blake/File photo/Reuters / Reuters)
China is the first country to implement such a ban. Although this feature was made popular with Tesla, Chinese competitors including Xiaomi have adopted the design, according to Reuters.
The move follows high-profile incidents in which power outages reportedly prevented doors from opening, leaving people trapped and unable to escape or be rescued. Bloomberg reported. The outlet said two of the incidents included fiery crashes involving Xiaomi Corp. electric vehicles.
“China is changing “By acting first, Beijing can use its huge domestic market to set the safety standards that Chinese and foreign automakers must meet at home – and this could ultimately accompany Chinese exports of electric vehicles and influence global standards.”
A woman opens the door of a Tesla Model YL electric vehicle at a showroom in Beijing February 3, 2026. China will ban hidden door handles on cars sold in the country starting next year, phasing out the minimalist design popularized by Tesla over safety concerns. (Pedro Pardo / AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
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In December, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), opened an investigation into defects in the emergency door opening controls of the Tesla Model 3 sedan, Reuters reported. The investigation reportedly covered approximately 179,071 vehicles from the 2022 model year.
Visitors look at a Xiaomi SU7 electric vehicle on display at the Beijing International Automobile Exhibition, or Auto China 2024, in Beijing, China, April 25, 2024. (Tingshu Wang/Reuters)
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Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 206 sets forth requirements for vehicle door locks and door restraint components to help prevent occupants from being ejected during a crash.
An NHTSA representative stressed to FOX Business that although FMVSS No. 206 does not have specific requirements requiring manual unlocking of doors in the event of a power outage, failure to provide a reasonable means for occupants to enter or exit a vehicle could be considered a safety defect and lead to a recall. However, opening a defect claim does not automatically mean a recall will be issued.
FOX Business has contacted Tesla and Xiaomi for comment.
