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A NEW law is set to make major changes to how cars are manufactured, especially in the electric era.
The law’s proposal comes in response to growing safety concerns about how passengers can safely exit disabled vehicles.
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The Securing Accessible Functional Emergency Exit Act, or SAFE Exit Act, was introduced to the United States House of Representatives earlier this month.
Illinois Democrat Representative Robin Kelly introduced the measure, which would require all automakers to equip all new vehicles with clearly accessible manual door releases that can operate without electricity.
While not specifically singling them out, the law most notably applies to makers of electric vehicles with powered door handles that are liable to fail in the event of a crash if power is cut to the vehicle.
“When a vehicle loses power and people are trapped inside, that is not a design inconvenience, it is a life-threatening failure,” said Kelly in a statement announcing the bill. “Cars must be designed so that people can get out quickly and safely in an emergency.”
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Tesla, Hyundai, Infiniti, Chevrolet, Land Rover, Kia, and Nissan all have at least one vehicle equipped with such technology in their current fleets.
Although most of these vehicles include secondary mechanical releases for emergencies, they’re often difficult to locate and/or operate in the stress of an emergency.
Makers of such vehicles would have two years to comply with the final regulations once issued as the bill currently stands.
In September, a man and two children burned to death in a Tesla after the vehicle crashed and power was cut, resulting in first responders being unable to open the vehicle’s exterior retractable door handles.
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Three young people, including a 19-year-old college student, burned to death in a Tesla Cybertruck due to similar circumstances of being trapped inside the vehicle after power was cut following a crash.
Tesla, whose vehicles are exclusively made with electronically-powered door handles of some kind, did not immediately return The U.S. Sun’s request for comment.
In January, many EV makers reported slow demand. Reuters said there are a few valid reasons for a slow in demand:
Source: Reuters
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