ETSC calls for urgent action on risks from electrically activated car doors

Recent US reporting has highlighted cases where Tesla drivers and passengers were unable to escape or be rescued from vehicles due to the failure of electronic door releases. 

In Europe, concerns intensified following a tragic crash and fire in Germany on 10 September, where two children and their father died after reportedly being trapped inside a burning Tesla.

The problem extends beyond one brand. Electrically activated doors are increasingly common across vehicle types, yet current UN and EU vehicle safety regulations contain no requirements to ensure they can be opened in emergencies such as fires or submersion in water.

Minutes from recent UNECE meetings show that regulators in Korea, Germany and the Netherlands have all raised the alarm. The Netherlands linked the issue to repeated deaths in submerged vehicles, while Euro NCAP and Korea NCAP have already begun developing revised protocols for consumer tests. A UNECE working group on Emergency Door Opening met for the first time in June.

ETSC is now urging the European Commission to press for faster progress in Geneva and to consider recalls in the EU for vehicles where door systems could prevent escape or rescue in emergencies.

“This is not a theoretical problem – people are dying because they cannot get out of vehicles when every second counts,” said Antonio Avenoso, ETSC’s Executive Director. “UNECE discussions are welcome, but the pace must be urgent. Europe cannot wait years while thousands of cars with these systems remain on the roads. Recalls should be on the table, and safety rules need to be updated swiftly to cover all vehicles with electronic doors.”