Tesla Explores Emergency Door Redesign Amid Safety Concerns and Federal Investigation
Austin, The Gulf Observer: Tesla is reviewing the design of its vehicle door mechanisms following multiple reports of passengers being trapped inside during emergencies, including incidents involving fires after crashes. The move comes as the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigates owner complaints and safety risks linked to the company’s door systems.
According to a Bloomberg investigation, more than 140 cases have been documented in which people were unable to exit their Teslas due to door handle malfunctions, some resulting in severe injuries and fatalities. In non-crash situations, owners have also reported being forced to break their windows to access children or belongings after becoming locked out.
Tesla’s chief designer, Franz von Holzhausen, acknowledged the issue during an interview on Bloomberg’s Hot Pursuit! podcast. He revealed that the company is developing a new system that would integrate the manual and electronic release mechanisms into a single control for quicker use in emergencies.
“The idea of combining the electronic one and the manual one together into one button, I think, makes a lot of sense,” von Holzhausen said. “That’s something that we’re working on.”
Currently, Tesla models rely on separate electronic and manual release mechanisms, which can be difficult to locate or operate under stress, particularly for children or unfamiliar passengers. While it remains unclear whether Tesla plans to apply the redesign to existing vehicles, experts note that retrofitting current models would likely be challenging.
The NHTSA’s ongoing probe and growing public scrutiny place Tesla under increased pressure to address safety concerns, as the company balances innovative design with practical emergency needs.
