Imagine the unthinkable: you’re in a car crash, or perhaps just a sudden power outage, and the doors won’t open. This chilling scenario is at the heart of a new federal investigation into Tesla. The focus? The electronic door handles that could trap passengers inside the popular electric vehicles.
Tesla’s Door Security Under Scrutiny
Tesla’s doors rely on an electronic system. A small, low-voltage battery powers this setup. If that battery fails after a jolt or power loss, the handles simply stop working.
Drivers might assume there’s a backup. Theoretically, mechanical emergency handles exist to open the doors. Yet, many users report these are often hard to find. Their design also changes between models. In some Model 3 and Model Y cars, the rear seats might not even have them.
Serious Incidents Reported
The U.S. federal road safety agency, NHTSA, has heard from worried Tesla owners. The agency has recorded nine such incidents.
Most of these involved children stuck inside Model Y cars. Their parents couldn’t get them out from the outside. This happened when the low-voltage battery suddenly failed.
The issue turns truly frightening in a car accident. In Virginia, a Tesla driver escaped through a window after a crash. His wife, stuck on the passenger side, was not so lucky. She suffered severe burns and lung injuries because her doors remained locked.
Even more tragic cases raise serious questions. However, we cannot yet say for sure if the doors directly caused these deaths. In California, three students died in a Cybertruck fire. In Wisconsin, five people in a Model S also died in similar circumstances.
Here’s a chilling detail: investigators noticed victims seemed to try to escape. All were found clustered in the front of the cabin. But with the violence of a crash, rapid flames, and how the locks are built, it is tough to blame the doors alone.
Over 100,000 Models Affected So Far
This uncertainty is exactly what the federal investigation aims to clear up. Its goal is to find out if Tesla’s door system has a dangerous design flaw. This flaw would be a risk to public safety.
Investigators will check how reliable the power supply is for the locks. They will also confirm if the manual escape devices actually work. If needed, they will call for a big recall to fix the problem.
The investigation currently covers 174,290 Model Y units. This number could grow to include other Tesla vehicles.
This isn’t the first time the electric car maker has faced a NHTSA investigation. The government is also looking into whether Tesla used misleading advertising. That probe concerns the abilities of Autopilot, the company’s driver assistance system.