Biggest Recall in Chinese Automotive HistoryThe Washington Post - Getty ImagesTesla and eight other automakers selling cars in China are recalling about 4.3 million vehicles over concerns that car doors may be difficult to open in an emergency. That 4.3-million figure makes it the country's largest automotive recall ever, according to a report in Reuters. The remedies are relatively straightforward in many cases, involving warning labels and over-the-air software updates. But the issue behind them is more significant, Reuters said.Electronic door handles are flush with the cars' bodies, offering aerodynamic advantages as well as making the cars look sleeker. But the handles require an electric current to operate, extending out from the flush surface to present the handle, which is then pulled on to open the door. The concern is that if electricity is not available, either due to a severe crash or some other interruption, the door handles won't work. That concern has lead China to ban electronic door handles starting in 2027.Tesla accounts for the biggest portion of the recall, covering 2.98 million vehicles, while Chinese automakers Xiaomi, Leapmotor, and Xpeng are also undertaking their largest recalls on record. The financial cost may be limited because software can fix part of the problem remotely. The reputational and regulatory implications could be bigger.A Tesla Model YL at a showroom in Beijing this year. China will ban hidden door handles on cars sold in the country from next year over safety concerns, phasing out the minimalist design popularized by Tesla.PEDRO PARDO - Getty ImagesTesla's remedy includes warning labels and an update delivered remotely that automatically lowers vehicle windows after a collision, according to Tesla's statement to the Chinese State Administration for Market Regulation.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe recall does not affect Teslas in the US, Reuters said in its report, though the door handles—which open via a key fob, smartphone, or touch-sensitive panel—have also drawn scrutiny from US regulators.Last month, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it would consider new safety standards to address the risk of occupant entrapment in vehicles during electrical power failures.NHTSA said late on Friday that automakers have not notified the agency of plans to file a similar recall for the US market.
+79 others
