Australia should not ignore the risk of stock dumping and the global influence of Chinese safety standards, which could shape vehicle design and leave Australia lagging if its rules don’t keep pace.

Industry voices warn about the danger of unsafe Chinese car imports, including stock-dumping concerns around unsafe door handles, though practical reuse or re-export could mitigate the risk.

If Australia delays tightening its safety rules, it risks becoming a dumping ground for electric vehicles designed to meet evolving global standards, potentially importing models aligned with China’s requirements.

Current bans cover both flush/hidden and retractable door-handle designs, mandating a minimum external opening and clear interior instructional markings.

Australian agencies are funding enhanced door-handle safety testing and call for clearer rules to ensure destructibility and accessible manual door releases after crashes.

China will phase in a ban on hidden or retractable door handles for new cars from the start of 2027, with existing models given until 2029 to comply and ensure emergency manual operation.

The purpose of China’s upcoming ban is to guarantee both inside and outside manual door-release mechanisms for emergency egress.

Tesla signals it will redesign door handles to combine electronic and manual releases for use in panic situations.

Australia’s current rules require hand-operable doors, but critics argue Australian Design Rules don’t adequately address modern door mechanisms and call for mandatory manual release both inside and outside for all doors.

China is also reassessing car touchscreens, with draft revisions proposing physical controls for essential functions rather than reliance on touchscreens alone.

ANCAP acknowledges concerns over door handles and touchscreens, emphasizing manual or permanently accessible physical controls in safety ratings, while noting it cannot block imports.

If passed, US legislation mandating manual door releases in new cars could align with China’s approach and influence global vehicle design.