China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology published a new list of security rules on its website on Feb. 2.
The document states that cars sold in the country must be equipped with mechanical door opening systems. It bans hidden electronically controlled door handles, according to online publication TechCrunch.
“Every door (except the rear trunk door) must be equipped with a mechanical exterior handle with an opening mechanism. Vehicles must also have a mechanical opening mechanism inside the passenger compartment,” the publication says.
China became the first state to approve the relevant ban. The reason for this was the high-profile fatal incidents in which people were trapped in cars.
The new rules will come into force on January 1, 2027.
