The German counterpart of the ANWB warns against life-threatening door handles. The ADAC no longer wants recessed door handles.
Form increasingly takes precedence over content. This applies not only to our politicians, but also to a lot of other things in life. For example, the ADAC, the German brother of the ANWB, believes that form takes too much precedence over safety among car manufacturers. The ADAC focuses on the recessed door handle.
It’s nice, of course, that various car brands opt for recessed door handles like the one above on the Polestar 4 and we also see them at Tesla. But established brands such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW are also guilty of these trendy streamlined door handles. Don’t do it anymore, says the ADAC, because it is extremely dangerous!
ADAC: recessed door handles are extremely dangerous
What about now? Because such an elegant door handle that comes to you when you walk to your car with the keys in your pocket is absolutely the bomb, isn’t it? Yes! With normal use, yes. And if it doesn’t break, of course.
But ADAC thinks about the situations you don’t want to find yourself in. For example, in the event of an accident or if your Tesla with recessed door handles catches fire and you are still in it. Emergency responders cannot quickly and intuitively open the doors to save you. A recessed door handle makes that difficult.
Different per car
It also requires knowledge for the rescuer, because one recessed door handle can be unfolded manually by pressing the front part of the handle, but other brands use electric motors. In the event of a fire or interrupted power, they no longer do much and your rescuers in need cannot come to you to save your life.
Electric doors
It doesn’t stop with those door handles. Some cars open the doors at the push of a button. Also an electrical connection. It may not work properly after a crash, fire or illness. Here too, care providers face difficulties.
For example, some models from Tesla, Nio and BMW have these types of systems. The ADAC advises that, as the owner of such a car, you should familiarize yourself with the emergency unlocking options that the manufacturer has also provided. You will find this in the manual.
It might be a good idea to do a safety dance for your passengers before every ride to properly explain the safety procedures. It might be nice to also give Siri or NOMI a flight attendant option for every ride. The ADAC would be in favor in any case.
An emergency hammer then? Always a good idea, but if you have opted for laminated or insulating glass for your car, you will have to work hard to get through the double glazing. In short, don’t choose form, but choose safety, according to the ADAC.
