A bold move by Volvo has sparked a heated debate: Can electric door handles be safe? As concerns mount, Volvo, a brand synonymous with safety, has introduced shark-fin shaped electronic door handles on its latest electric vehicle, the EX60. But here's where it gets controversial: Volvo's chief technology officer, Anders Bell, believes it's all about system safety, not just the handles.
"It's not about door handles, it's about redundancy and ensuring a quick, reliable exit in an emergency, even if unconscious," Bell explained.
The issue of power door handles has regulators and consumers on edge. Electronic handles require power, and in a crash or power loss, they may fail. Most cars have mechanical releases, but their effectiveness relies on user knowledge.
A tragic example involved a 2007 Chevrolet Corvette, where an elderly man and his dog perished after the 12-volt battery died. Unaware of the floor-mounted release, they were trapped on a hot Texas day.
Volkswagen's ID.4 faced a similar issue, leading to a global recall in 2024. And Tesla's Cybertruck design, with hidden mechanical releases, has also faced scrutiny after a fiery crash where the owner was unable to exit.
Even intuitive mechanical releases inside vehicles like the Tesla Model S and Xiaomi SU7 have their flaws. In another fatal incident, a Xiaomi SU7 owner in China became trapped inside a burning vehicle, leading to calls for safer designs.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating Tesla's door handles, and a proposed federal law aims to mandate quick, intuitive emergency door opening.
Volvo, however, believes it has solved the issue. Both the exterior shark-fin handles and interior power latches should function even if the car's battery is destroyed, Bell claims.
The interior solution is simple: the mechanical and electronic releases are activated by the same handle. Pull gently for an electric pop, or pull hard for a mechanical release.
"You pull a little, you open electrically. Pull more, you open mechanically," Bell said.
But the real challenge is ensuring safe exterior access in an accident. Volvos automatically unlock doors in a crash, and even with a dead 12-volt battery, the handles will open.
"We have redundancy for that too," Bell added. The EX60 has two DC-to-DC converters, one on each side, ensuring 12-volt power for emergency systems.
"What happens if both converters fail? At that point, you're beyond the car's protection," he said.
So, is Volvo's design the solution to electric door handle safety? Or is it a controversial move that invites further scrutiny? We want to hear your thoughts in the comments!
