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Auto Safety Agency Exploring New Car Door Rules After Deaths in Teslas
The agency said nine Tesla owners reported being unable to get into their cars, sometimes with children inside, before it chose rulemaking over a defect probe.
- On Thursday, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced it will begin rulemaking to mandate robust and obvious door egress systems in all motor vehicles, granting a petition to address electronic latching risks.
- Bloomberg News uncovered at least 15 deaths in a dozen incidents where occupants or rescuers could not open doors of crashed Tesla vehicles after power loss, prompting the agency's action.
- A Silicon Valley engineer petitioned regulators in November to "address a critical, life-threatening safety gap" caused by electronic or "hidden" door systems. Illinois Democrat Representative Robin Kelly introduced the SAFE Exit Act earlier this year.
- Although the agency is starting the process, NHTSA noted that commencing rulemaking does not guarantee new regulations will be adopted, as automakers often resist mandates that impose additional costs.
- Michael Brooks, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, said the rulemaking is essential but warned he does not expect final manufacturer compliance before 2030 even if the process proceeds swiftly.
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Bad Door Handles Are Trapping People in Cars. The Feds Are Finally Stepping in
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration aims to "mandate a robust and obvious door egress system in all motor vehicles." The post Bad Door Handles Are Trapping People in Cars. The Feds Are Finally Stepping in appeared first on The Drive.
·Miami, United States
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Tesla’s car door defect could lead to tougher rules for everyone
A door handle on a Tesla Model Y at a charging station in San Francisco, California, US, on Monday, Nov. 10, 2025. | David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images Tesla's electronic door handles that have been linked to several deaths could lead to tougher safety rules for the entire auto industry. In a notice published today, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that complaints about Tesla's mechanical door release don't warr…
·United States
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Total News Sources30
Leaning Left8Leaning Right4Center9Last UpdatedBias Distribution43% Center
Bias Distribution
- 43% of the sources are Center
43% Center
L 38%
C 43%
R 19%
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