JAKARTA - The accident involving the Xiaomi SU7 electric sedan has once again drawn public attention to the safety aspect of vehicle doors, especially in electric cars.
China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is now opening a public consultation on a draft national standard that requires vehicle doors to remain operable mechanically after a collision or an overheating incident in the battery.
The proposed rules are open to the public from December 17 to 23, 2025, and are a further step in updating vehicle safety regulations in China. The consultation is also a continuation of a report last September, when the first draft of the vehicle door handle safety requirements was first released for public input.
Reported by Carnewschina, Thursday, December 18, this latest draft presents a more detailed regulatory framework, including technical requirements and testing methods, thus showing progress towards actual implementation. According to the ministry, the draft standard entitled Automotive Door Handle Safety Technical Requirements requires every side door, except for the luggage, to be equipped with an outer door handle that can be mechanically removed.
With this design, passengers or rescuers can open the door without aids even if the electronic locking system is still active or there is an emergency due to battery heat. Vehicles with automatic locking systems are also required to provide a manual release mechanism, even if the system remains locked during an emergency.
In addition, the position of the outer door handle must be in an easily accessible area on the door body or frame, adjusted to the type of door opening. Space for hands to operate it must also be guaranteed, including in the event of a power outage or system failure.
The inner door handle is also regulated separately. Each door must have at least one interior handle with an independent mechanical function. One of the handles must also be clearly visible by passengers and be within a certain distance from the edge of the door or seating point.
Most handrails must have a permanent identification mark of a minimum size, be easily recognizable, and remain visible in low light conditions. The regulation also introduces strict testing standards to ensure the function of the handrail, ranging from static, dynamic, compressive strength tests, to collision simulation and electrical disconnection conditions.
The outer handle is required to withstand a minimum of 500 newtons of force, while the inner handle is at least 200 newtons.
The draft regulation also stipulates a phased implementation schedule, for new vehicle models, the design requirements for the space apply 13 months after the regulation is inaugurated, while other technical provisions apply immediately.
Meanwhile, for vehicles that have previously had type approval, all rules must be met within 25 months. This public consultation reflects the serious steps taken by the Chinese government in promoting the standardization of the opening system of mechanical doors on both electric and conventional vehicles.
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