- European regulators plan to tighten rules due to concerns about Tesla‘s vehicle door handle design.
- Authorities want to ensure passengers can always exit Tesla vehicles after a crash, even during power failures.
- The Dutch agency RDW is addressing new door designs that may not meet existing regulations.
- The U.S. regulator NHTSA has opened a probe into about 174,000 Tesla Model Y vehicles due to issues with electronic door handles.
- Several incidents have been reported where owners could not open the vehicle doors due to low battery voltage.
European regulators are moving to strengthen safety requirements for Tesla Inc. vehicles amid concerns about door handle designs. The action aims to ensure that passengers can safely get out of their cars, and be assisted by emergency responders, if a crash or power failure occurs.
The Dutch regulator RDW, responsible for inspecting and approving Tesla vehicles for sale in the European Union, confirmed on Thursday that it is actively working on new rules in response to these safety concerns. According to Bloomberg, the rules are being reviewed in specialized committees.
An RDW spokesperson told Bloomberg, “Doors must always be operable — from the inside by occupants and from the outside by emergency responders — even in the event of a power failure.” The spokesperson added that as new door concepts are introduced, regulations are being updated to address any gaps.
Last month, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched an investigation into Tesla‘s Model Y vehicles after learning of failures in electronic door handles when battery voltage is low. The probe covers an estimated 174,290 vehicles from the 2021 model year.
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) at NHTSA reported at least nine cases where owners could not open their Model Y doors as a result of this issue. U.S. authorities are working to determine the extent and risk posed by the problem. Further details can be found in the original Bloomberg report.
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