What once looked like a sleek symbol of futuristic car design is now at the centre of China’s biggest vehicle recall.
More than 4 million cars are being recalled over concerns about hidden electric door handles.
The recall affects nearly 3 million China-made Teslas, along with vehicles from Chinese manufacturers including Xiaomi, XPeng and Geely.
So, what went wrong with a feature designed to make cars look cleaner and more advanced?
The handles sit flush with the door and normally pop out when the driver approaches.
But after a serious crash, a loss of low-voltage power could make them difficult to find or operate, potentially trapping people inside.
Safety Concerns Grow
Tesla said some Model 3, Model Y, Model S and Model X vehicles have handles that can be hard to identify because they blend into the interior.
The company plans warning labels and a software update that can automatically lower windows after a collision.
Consultant Tu Le called the fixes more of a “band-aid” than a permanent answer.
China has already moved further, announcing rules requiring mechanical door releases inside and outside vehicles from January 2027.
A feature once praised for looking futuristic now raises a simpler question: when style meets safety, which one should win?
