China has announced a ban on flush door handles on cars sold in the country. The move has been made, citing safety concerns with flush/pop-up door handles. While the ban is China-specific, it is worth noting that flush door handles on cars pose a threat to passenger safety in the event of a mishap.
According to the new mandate, all new cars sold from January 1, 2026, must have mechanical door release handles, both on the outside and inside of every door, except for the tailgate.
Hidden door handles are electrically actuated and sit flush with the car’s body. The main idea behind this is aesthetics and aerodynamics gains, especially for EVs. Such handles pop up only when the key fob is triggered.
In case of an accident or loss of electrical power in the vehicle, the flush door handles become inoperative, which can restrict emergency first responders from rescuing passengers trapped inside. However, it remains to be seen whether other countries, including ours, will consider this point and ban flush door handles on cars sold in India.
