A new lawsuit has been filed against Tesla over the death of a young man in one of its Model Y vehicles, blaming Tesla's electronic door handle design for trapping the driver inside the car after a crash. The incident occurred on October 25, 2025, when 20-year-old college student Samuel Tremblett was driving a 2021 Model Y in Massachusetts, when the vehicle left the road and crashed into a tree.
Despite surviving the crash, Tremblett was unable to escape the vehicle due to its interior door handle design. Tesla vehicles have had unique door handle designs since their inception, with the Model Y featuring an exterior handle that lies flush against the body of the car, improving aerodynamics.
However, the issue at hand is the electronic interior handle, which can malfunction in certain situations. In a recent change, Chinese regulators have proposed and finalized a ban on Tesla-style electronic door handles, requiring mechanical fallbacks in case of electrical failure.
The regulation aims to address safety concerns related to these designs and will go into effect on January 1, 2027. This move may serve as a model for regulators elsewhere and influence global designs.
As the largest car market in the world, China's regulations have significant implications for the industry.
This latest lawsuit highlights the importance of prioritizing safety in vehicle design, particularly with emerging technologies like electronic door handles. The proposed Chinese regulation is a step in the right direction, but it's crucial that manufacturers continue to evaluate and improve their designs to prevent similar incidents in the future.
