ROME – Retractable handles have become very fashionable on cars. They improve aerodynamics, but also design. Be careful though, because in the event of an accident they could prove very dangerous. The alarm was raised by ADAC, the German automobile club, which is also the largest in Europe. Analyzing the crash tests of the latest car models equipped with retractable handles, he noted that in the event of an accident they could remain stuck inside the door frame, thus hindering the work of rescuers and the extraction of occupants from the passenger compartment.
According to the ADAC, the problem arises above all for handles that can be folded using automatic electric actuators, because if the impact suffered by the car puts the electrical system out of action, the handle could remain hidden inside the door. To avoid this eventuality, the German automobile club suggests that manufacturers also include an emergency hammer to break windows in the safety equipment present in the passenger compartment.
However, if the ADAC raises the alarm, EuroNCAP, the European safety assessment program for new cars, does not do the same. Its tests also check whether the doors are unlocked independently as soon as the impact occurs, so that they can be opened correctly from the outside. And so far, in the testing phase, EuroNCAP has not found any anomalies with the retractable handles. We’ll see if there are any developments.