Fiery Tesla Crash Highlights Need for Mechanical Door Handles

A recent crash that killed four people in a Tesla illustrates the importance of keeping mechanical handles on vehicles, writes Jesus Diaz in Fast Company.

“As Tesla details on its website, the Model Y features electronic door latches that require pressing a button to open via an electric mechanism. The car also has a mechanical emergency open system that many say would be nearly impossible to operate in an actual emergency.” The people involved in the latest crash were trapped inside the car, unable to open the doors — and neither were passersby who tried to help.

I get it, opening a door by clicking a button may seem cool—until it kills you. But the fact is that these buttons, just like the touch interfaces that control many car functions nowadays, are dangerous.

According to Diaz, all Tesla models have complicated emergency release mechanisms that require removing a panel or reaching under a seat. “Most people traveling in these cars are clueless about these mechanisms,” Diaz adds. 

To address the issue, the European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP) has announced that “starting in 2026, vehicles that delegate essential functions to touchscreens and fail to meet minimum physical control requirements will not qualify for the highest safety certifications.”