Tesla Cybercab introduces unified door handle after safety concerns
Tesla revealed a redesigned interior door handle for its upcoming Cybercab robotaxi. The single mechanism merges electronic and manual opening functions, addressing years of safety criticism and a federal probe into the company's door designs.
Enthusiasts Kim Java and Josh West spotted the feature in pre-production Cybercab videos. The pull-type latch on the door frame replaces separate electronic buttons and hidden emergency levers in current models. A light upward pull unlocks electronically; a firmer tug activates a mechanical cable for physical release. It includes "Open" in Braille for visually impaired passengers in the autonomous vehicle.
This setup lets even first-time or panicked passengers exit intuitively without hunting for hidden releases. Not a Tesla App, which first highlighted the design, called it a fix ensuring "even a panicked passenger who's never been in a Tesla before can get out instinctively."
The change responds to mounting scrutiny. A September 2025 Bloomberg investigation detailed crashes where occupants suffered injuries or death after failing to open Tesla doors. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration then launched a defect probe on electric doors in some Model Y vehicles. Bloomberg later linked at least 15 fatalities to such incidents.
Tesla design chief Franz von Holzhausen told Bloomberg post-probe that the company aimed to unify controls so "as soon as you're in a panic situation," a strong pull on one lever triggers the backup mechanical system. The Cybercab marks the first production Tesla with this approach.
Tesla has not confirmed if the latch will roll out to existing models, though it acknowledged broader changes. Global rules tighten too; China banned vehicles with only electronic handles, forcing Model 3 and Y redesigns there. Cybercab mass production starts in April.
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