(Yicai) Sept. 25 -- China has issued a draft version of new regulations requiring the hidden door handles of cars, a design that has grown in popularity among electric vehicle manufacturers, to be able to be opened manually in case of an accident to reduce safety risks, opening it to public comment.

Each car door should have internal and external handles featuring a mechanical release function, according to the draft released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology yesterday. In an accident, including thermal runaway in the battery, the non-collision side doors must be able to be manually opened without the need for tools.

The new regulations aim to guide manufacturers in standardizing the design of door handles and enhancing vehicle safety, the MIIT noted, adding that the deadline for submitting comments is Nov. 22.

The regulations on door handles align with the trend of electrification in the auto sector, balancing their technological appeal and safety, an expert told Yicai, adding that they are conducive to promoting the development of the industry.

Many EV brands, including US' Tesla and China's Aito and Xiaomi, use hidden door handles that require the car's electrical systems to function normally and are activated by pressing a touch capacitive. When the vehicle is locked, the handles remain concealed.

However, there have been multiple traffic accidents involving EVs where the hidden door handles could not be opened due to motor malfunctions, preventing occupants from quickly escaping. This has raised significant public concern over the safety risks associated with such designs.

The new regulations specify several detailed requirements to further eliminate safety hazards. For example, the exterior door handle of each door must retain sufficient hand operation space on the vehicle surface in any state, with this space being no smaller than 60 millimeters per 20 mm per 25 mm.

In addition, inner handles equipped with a mechanical release function must be located in a prominent position, with warning signs and instructions for operation placed near the handle to prevent passengers from being unable to open the door in an emergency.

Editors: Dou Shicong, Martin Kadiev