Tesla To Redesign Door Handles After Safety Concerns, NHTSA Probe, And Global Scrutiny

Tesla is working on a redesign of its door handles after safety concerns over incidents where passengers were trapped inside vehicles, according to Bloomberg. Design chief Franz von Holzhausen said the company plans to combine electronic and manual release mechanisms into a single button to make exits easier during emergencies. A Bloomberg investigation found Tesla door handle malfunctions linked to injuries and deaths, with NHTSA receiving over 140 related consumer complaints since 2018. Tesla vehicles have interior manual releases that vary by model and are often hard to locate, while exterior handles can fail during a power loss. Regulators in China and Europe are also weighing stricter rules on concealed handles, and Tesla says it is studying changes in response.