A bill introduced in the U.S. Congress would require electric vehicle makers to install manual emergency door releases, potentially creating the first federal safety standard governing electronic vehicle doors, amid concerns that occupants could be trapped during crashes or power failures.
The proposed Securing Accessible Functional Emergency (SAFE) Exit Act was introduced on Jan. 6 by Representative Robin Kelly, a Democrat from Illinois. If passed, the legislation would direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to establish new performance and labeling requirements for electric vehicle doors.
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Under the bill, manufacturers would be required to equip every electronically operated door with an “easy-to-find” manual release and ensure emergency responders can access vehicles from the outside if electrical systems fail. Lawmakers did not specify how automakers should meet the requirement while preserving vehicle security or current styling trends such as recessed or flush door handles.
The legislation and its accompanying press release specifically reference Tesla, whose vehicles use flush-mounted door handles that extend electronically when a phone key or key card is detected. “Today, U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02) introduced a bill addressing safety concerns with electric vehicle doors, including Tesla’s doors that have trapped people in their own cars,” the statement said, adding that at least 15 deaths had been linked to incidents where Tesla doors allegedly failed to open after crashes.
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Kelly criticised what she described as design choices that prioritise appearance over safety. “Profits and, least of all, style, should not come before people’s lives,” she said. “When crashes or power loss leaves drivers and passengers trapped inside their own cars, that is not innovation — it’s a safety failure.”
Tesla vehicles already include manual interior door releases, including a mechanical lever near the front window switches on the Model 3 and an additional manual release in the rear door cup holders. It remains unclear what further design changes the SAFE Exit Act would require Tesla and other automakers to implement if the rules are adopted.
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The bill comes as U.S. regulators and lawmakers increase scrutiny of electric vehicle safety systems as EV adoption accelerates, raising questions over whether existing federal motor vehicle standards adequately address emerging technologies.