CNBC AI Exclusive – Shenlan Auto, the electric vehicle subsidiary of Changan Automobile, finds itself at the center of a debate reshaping automotive design standards after CEO Deng Chenghao defended hidden door handles as “a symbol of technological progress” in a recent media interview.
The executive acknowledged growing regulatory scrutiny, revealing that China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) is currently soliciting public feedback on mandatory national safety standards for vehicle door handles. Draft proposals highlight potential risks including structural weakness, operational confusion, and electrical failure in emergency scenarios.
“Hidden handles optimize aerodynamic efficiency and production costs – that’s engineering evolution,” Deng stated. “But like any innovation, safety cannot be compromised. Our rotating mechanism design ensures reliable emergency egress, which explains Shenlan’s full adoption across all models.”
Industry analysts note this consultation follows global automotive safety reforms, with regulatory bodies seeking to balance sleek EV aesthetics against proven mechanical reliability. While traditional handles maintain 92% consumer recognition in extreme conditions according to AutoSafetyNow data, hidden systems reduce drag by up to 3% – a critical efficiency gain for electric ranges.
Deng’s comments arrive as Chinese automakers navigate conflicting priorities: meeting Beijing’s decarbonization targets while addressing first-responder concerns about emergency access. The CEO positioned Shenlan’s rotating handles as a compromise solution, emphasizing third-party certification compliance and twice redundant mechanical override systems.
Automotive design specialists interviewed by CNBC suggest handle standardization could add ¥150-300 ($20-40) per vehicle in redundant safety mechanisms, a marginal cost against typical ¥6,000 savings from simplified assembly lines. This financial calculus explains industry resistance to outright bans despite safety debates.
As MIIT deliberates formal regulations, this design dilemma captures a broader automotive inflection point – where Silicon Valley-inspired minimalism meets Berlin-level engineering rigor. For EV startups like Shenlan, the coming standards could define how China’s automotive ambitions balance disruptive innovation with institutional caution.
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