China has announced its largest-ever automotive recall, encompassing more than four million vehicles from manufacturers such as Tesla, XPeng, and Xiaomi. The widespread recall is primarily attributed to issues with electronically powered door handles, which have raised significant safety concerns.
These retractable door handles, a common feature in modern vehicles, are designed to provide a sleek aesthetic and improve aerodynamics. Car industry analyst Stephen Dyer noted that approximately 60% of the top 100 best-selling new energy vehicles in China feature these handles. However, their usability has been questioned, with Dyer himself admitting to occasional difficulty in locating the internal release mechanism in unfamiliar vehicles.
Beyond usability, the safety implications of these electronically controlled handles have become a focal point. Lyu Chen, an associate professor at Nanyang Technological University, highlighted that the handles pose "real safety concerns" if they fail to open promptly, potentially delaying rescue efforts in the critical moments following an accident. "A door handle may seem simple, but it becomes safety-critical in the seconds after a crash," Chen stated.
Makeshift Xiaomi faced intense scrutiny after two fatal crashes in 2025 involving its SU7 model. Regional news reports, cited by the state-controlled Global Times, detailed one incident on a highway in Tongling city, eastern China, where three people died. Relatives of the victims reportedly claimed that passengers were unable to exit the vehicle because the doors could not be unlocked after the collision, which they suspected was due to an electrical failure.
