Tesla is redesigning the Model Y’s flush electric door handles, which are being investigated for trapping people inside.
According to a Bloomberg interview, Tesla design chief Franz von Holzhausen said that the company is looking to “make the handles more intuitive for someone in a ‘panic situation.'”
The update will combine both the electronic and manual door release buttons into one button, replacing the current design, which has them in separate locations. These changes are most likely being made because of the safety probe from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), following reports from Tesla Model Y owners that low battery voltage caused the exterior flush door handles to become inoperative, leaving children stuck in the backseat of the vehicle. Some parents in the report resorted to breaking the window on the Model Y to remove their kids from the backseat.
The flush door handles sported by the Model 3 and Model Y also have another notorious issue in colder climates (especially in Canada), where they freeze in place when ice develops on the vehicle. When asked about this problem, owners in the Model Y forum suggest defrosting the car before entering, which can be found within the mobile app. In the Model 3 owner’s manual, Tesla also suggests defrosting, but introduces another solution of pressing on the front part of the door handle to break the ice.
According to The Verge, Tesla is monitoring for potential changes in Chinese regulations, as the country is considering implementing a ban on fully concealed door handles. In response to this, Von Holzhausen said, “We’ll have a really good solution for that.”
Source: The Verge
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