Tesla has often been criticized for using an electromechanical door release system in its vehicles. Now, Rivian followed suit with the refreshed R1 vehicles. Although they still offer physical emergency releases, the design makes it difficult for rear passengers to access them should the electrical system not work.
Tesla has been innovating passenger vehicles in many areas as it tries to scale the production of its electric cars to the extreme. Some of these innovations have the purpose of saving Tesla money by making its vehicles more cost-efficient. This is why, sometimes, Tesla removes some features that many car owners take for granted. A good example is the stalks in the Model S, Model X, and now also Model 3.
One of the more controversial cost-cutting measures was replacing the physical door release mechanism with an electromechanical system. There is no physical connection between the door button and the actuator that actually triggers the door to open. This saves parts, but another reason is that Tesla designs its cars with frameless windows.
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