The German motoring club ADAC, the equivalent of RACE in Spain, has issued a warning about the potential risk posed by retractable handles used to open car doors with regard to the safety of users. This type of handle, which retracts flush into the body of the vehicle, could make it difficult to open the car from the outside in the event of an accident, which would delay access to the interior to help the victims, the ADAC indicates in an information. published on their website.
In recent years, this type of handle to open car doors has become popular, especially in electric models, due to its aerodynamic and aesthetic properties. At Tesla, since its inception, these handles have been one of the hallmarks of its models, while European manufacturers such as Mercedes and BMW have also followed the example of the American firm in some of their cars by adopting retractable handles.
Some of these handles deploy manually by pressing the front of the handle. However, there are others that use electric servomotors to extend automatically when approaching the car or activating a button, and these can be the most problematic in emergency situations due to their dependence on electrical power. Especially if after an accident the power supply is interrupted and the handle is retracted, which could make it difficult for first responders to reach the vehicle’s occupants.
In the EuroNCAP crash tests, of which the ADAC is a member, car door handles are also evaluated. One of the tests is to check if they unlock automatically after the accident to open from the outside.
Although the retractable handles have not shown any anomalies in crash tests, some media outlets have reported problems in other types of accidents in the past.
In 2019, The Washington Post reported on the tragic death of the driver of a Tesla Model S in Bethesda (Maryland, United States), due to a fire that broke out in the vehicle after colliding with a palm tree. But it wasn’t the accident itself that took the man’s life, but rather the car’s futuristic design features, according to the family’s lawyers.
Neither the driver nor the police officers managed to open the doors of the car while it was burning. Tragically, the man died of asphyxiation and burns from smoke and flames, according to the autopsy.
Lawyers for the family filed a complaint against Tesla, alleging that the Model S had inaccessible door handles, resulting in an avoidable tragedy. According to the complaint, these defects turned the car into a death trap.
To prevent tragedies like the one reported by The Washington Post, the ADAC suggests manufacturers implement a mechanical solution to extend the door handles, thus ensuring their opening from the outside after a collision, even in the event of an electrical failure. According to the German automobile club, in situations where the doors are deformed by the impact, rescuers face insurmountable difficulties in opening them.
“However, a stable and extended door handle can facilitate opening even under conditions of deformation and resistance,” adds the ADAC. In addition, it suggests that owners of vehicles with electronic door unlocking from the inside, such as various Tesla, Nio or BMW 7 Series and iX models, familiarize themselves with the emergency opening options before starting the trip and communicate this to the drivers. other occupants.
