Tesla, Xiaomi Hit by China’s Largest Auto Recall Over Door Handle
On Friday, Tesla, Xiaomi, Geely, Leapmotor, Xpeng, and other automakers agreed that they will begin a recall of around 4.3 million cars across China due to regulatory concerns stemming from the “hidden” electronic door handles equipped on these vehicles. Chinese regulators believe the handles can cause an undue amount of risk in an emergency situation where responders may struggle to operate the electronically controlled components after a crash. It is the largest auto recall in China’s history.
According to Reuters, authorities in Beijing have worked to further hone the safety regulations surrounding the auto industry in the country as the market continues to rapidly expand. China is the first country to ban these flush-mounted door handles, starting in 2027; American regulators have also recently suggested that they would review these parts, with the potential of future regulations in mind.
America-based Tesla is largely responsible for the popularization of these handles, with the flush-mounted handles doubling as a futuristic bit of design and an aerodynamic enhancer. As such, the brand is facing a recall pool of some 2.98 million imported and Chinese-made Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X EVs. According to the brand’s statement to the State Administration for Market Regulation, that recall will begin on September 25. Xiaomi will also recall about 390,000 vehicles, while Leapmotor and Xpeng will recall 371,000 and 264,000, respectively.
The remedies are said to include the introduction of new warning stickers aimed at making it easier to locate the manual release for the doors, as well as over-the-air updates in some circumstances. In the case of Tesla, this update is said to lower the windows at the moment of a crash in an effort to make passenger extraction easier.
Electric door handles are a clever bit of design that can improve both a car’s looks and its aerodynamics; that said, most of us who have experience with them have at least one frustrating story involving the tech. Even if they are just as safe on paper as conventional handles, I’d say that’s not exactly what you want from the one part that might save your life after an accident. Here’s hoping regulators around the globe continue to investigate these components, and companies can find ways to fine-tune them.
Born and raised in Metro Detroit, associate editor Lucas Bell has spent his entire life surrounded by the automotive industry. He may daily drive an aging Mustang, but his Porsche 944 and NB Miata both take up most of his free time.