A new legislative push in the United States is taking direct aim at the design of electric vehicle doors, a feature famously popularized by Tesla Inc. The proposed bill seeks to mandate manual door releases in all new automobiles, responding to growing safety concerns and tragic incidents where occupants were trapped.
The SAFE Exit Act: A Legislative Response
The proposed legislation, known as the Securing Accessible Functional Emergency Exit Act (SAFE Exit Act), was introduced late on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, by Representative Robin Kelly, an Illinois Democrat. This marks the first significant move by U.S. lawmakers to address potential safety risks associated with electrically powered door handles and latches.
The bill specifically calls for vehicles equipped with electric door systems to include a clearly labelled mechanical latch that is intuitive to use and readily accessible to occupants. Furthermore, it would require automakers to provide a means for first responders to access vehicles during a power loss.
Scrutiny Follows Reports of Injuries and Fatalities
The legislative effort adds to intensifying scrutiny of EV doors, fueled by a series of alarming incidents. Investigations, including extensive reporting by Bloomberg News, have highlighted cases where modern door systems lost power unexpectedly, often after a crash.
Bloomberg's reporting uncovered at least 15 deaths across a dozen incidents where occupants or rescuers could not open the doors of a Tesla vehicle that had crashed and caught fire. The news agency also reported that Tesla CEO Elon Musk insisted on electric doors even after potential safety concerns were raised internally.
"Elon Musk and his Tesla designs are not safe, nor efficient, and it has cost people their lives," Representative Kelly stated, citing Bloomberg's investigation. "When crashes or power loss leave drivers and passengers trapped inside their own cars, that is not innovation — it’s a safety failure."
Regulatory Probes and Industry Response
The bill emerges alongside active regulatory investigations. In September 2025, shortly after Bloomberg's initial report, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened a probe into potential door defects in certain Tesla Model Y SUVs. In December 2025, the agency launched a separate investigation into emergency releases in some Tesla Model 3 vehicles, prompted by owner complaints that the releases were "hidden, unlabelled, and not intuitive to locate during an emergency."
Tesla representatives did not respond to a request for comment on the proposed bill. However, a top company executive said in September 2025 that Tesla was working on a redesign of its door handles.
The SAFE Exit Act is scheduled for discussion during a legislative hearing on January 13, 2026, before a House Energy & Commerce committee panel. If enacted into law, the bill would require regulatory rule changes within two years. However, its future remains uncertain as the level of support among other lawmakers is currently unclear.
