Tesla retractable doors handles danger

[strangerandstranger]

If you have a Tesla or family/friend does, are they aware of the problem of accessing the car in an emergency?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15113931/hero-rescuer-failed-attempt-open-Tesla-man-two-children-burned-alive.html

"The retractable door handles on several Tesla models have previously been reported to have stopped working the moment power is cut off."

"According to the German Automobile Association, manual opening of the cars is only possible from the inside, which complicates rescue attempts for emergency services."

I had no idea. Awful tragedy.

Another similar story here:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14069607/friends-burned-death-trapped-inside-tesla-electronic-doors-failed.html

I’ve always wondered about those handles. Bit like in the cold when the doors get that layer of ice across the seems.

Poor lady couldn't even get out from the inside.

"Harper has since told the Toronto Star that the surviving woman 'couldn't open the doors' from the inside of the wreck.
Teslas have a button which the car's driver and passenger push to open a door, instead of a handle. But if the power fails after a crash, the doors can become stuck and won't open."

I had no idea. I've sent the link to a friend who has one.

Tesla are looking into the problem but not helpful if you already have one.

"Tesla's design chief, Franz von Holzhausen, told Bloomberg on Wednesday that the company is looking to redesign door handles following the reports of incidents."

I hate the seatbelts that auto tension. All strapped in start and car and get strapped back.

Those handles are very poorly designed but it was for the aesthetics of the futuristic car.

You can get these (seatbelt cutter and window breaker) - https://amzn.eu/d/904RWx3 - it sounds like a good idea to keep one in the front and the back of the car, even if you don't have a Tesla!

Good idea and would have helped in the second story but no good for the first story, since potential rescuer couldn't get in to save the family.

The other problem is the car locks the doors and, even when stopped, people outside the car cannot open the doors. It doesn’t unlock unless it detects you have parked the car.

this worries me as I have a tesla and I was only talking about this to my OH yesterday

IME (pre tesla) the doors of automatic cars lock once the car is going at a specific speed and then unlock again when the car slows down.

tesla does not do this.

Absolutely agree. Flush-to-the-door handles are massively impractical even without any other safety concerns. When we were shopping for a new car this was one of the things in the cons list for Teslas (it was a long list!).

This is terrible. Another reason to never set foot in a Tesla. Even with my window breaker/seatbelt cutter.

What did you go with in the end? We tested a Skoda Enyaq ealier this year but still can’t settle on what we want. First and only electric we have tried mind. Currently have a big ole diesel people carrier.

Polestar 2 - I love it. It has less boot space than our previous estate car, naturally, but aside from that I can't fault it. We have solar panels on the house so day-to-day charging costs us almost nothing.

This has been happening for some time OP, I read about it a few months ago. It’s all Elon and his fixation on design over safety - he has reportedly refused to change the design.

I was reading about them because DH went into a Tesla dealership and was tempted by their rentals - apparently, the handles are supposed to pop out when the car detects an accident but this doesn't seem to happen in reality. I've also seen major safety associations (e.g. German version of AA) recommend keeping a window breaker in the car if you have a Tesla.

Really scary - would definitely avoid.

I think its more common than we realise.

I recently got locked in my car (not a Tesla) when the power went without warning. Windows, panroof and doors would not open when I'd just entered it. I had closed the door and boom everything shut off. I had to call fire brigade but within 40 minutes power came back and doors unlocked. It was the hottest day of the year and the car hadn't been used for best part of a week. I only had a few percent on my phone battery. I had visions of passing out in the heat and no one knowing I was there.

Luckily, I carry a glass hammer in the car with an integrated seatbet cutter. Once I realised I had that I calmed down and luckily didnt need to use it. Im getting everyone a glass hammer for Xmas, I really do think they should be standard in all cars.

Had no idea about this but it of course makes sense- we have a Tesla on lease for another 2 years but have just purchased those window breakers/seatbelt cutters and will tech the kids how to use them also!

Oh, if not thought of this.
I don’t have a Tesla, but I do have a car that doesn’t have handles, just a button you press to open the door.

this aside, I do like a car (any car) that autolocks once you’ve driven away, makes me feel a lot more safe and secure at a traffic light stop

I’d read a similar article. Musk was told by the engineers it was a safety concern and he completely disregarded it as he preferred the sleeker look.

you couldn’t pay me to drive one of those, aside from my views on Musk.

There’s also evidence to suggest that the data they collect in their ‘black box’ disengages when the car senses a collision, which done have suggested is to enable Tesla to say there is no useful data to share with the authorities and no doubt try and exculpate him from any potential litigation.

If you do have a Tesla there is a manual release for the doors inside the door pocket. You have to lift the mat at the bottom and it’s right there. Worth familiarising yourself with it incase you ever need it.

The problem with the internal door handle and window hammers is if the occupant of the car becomes unconscious.

But a window hammer sounds like a good idea.

I have one of those devices for cutting seatbelts and breaking the window. I got it after reading an article where a family drowned as couldn’t smash the window. Don’t own a Tesla but worth having. Hope I never need to use it.

Interestingly - I’ve just received a safety recall email about this and need to get it booked in for an update
(not Tesla)