Technology advances at such a rapid pace that sometimes it creates more problems than it solves. China’s regulators are preparing to crack down on what they see as a great example of that: fully retractable door handles. A new set of standards could explicitly prohibit hidden handles on new vehicles. If these become law, it could have ripples across the globe.

 

The proposed regulation, reported by Mingjing Pro, comes from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. It would ban fully retractable handles while still allowing semi-retractable versions. A key requirement is that all vehicles must include a mechanical backup system so doors can be opened during emergencies.