NHTSA is investigating Tesla over its electronic door handles

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into Tesla's electrically powered door handles. The problem is that the doors stop working if the vehicle's low-voltage battery fails, which could potentially trap occupants inside the car, especially in emergency situations. The investigation covers the 2021 Model Y, but the agency suggests it could expand to all Tesla models, as they all use electrically powered door handles. While Tesla vehicles have a manual backup system, the location of the release mechanism is often hard to find, and it may not be accessible to children or pets. The NHTSA has received over 140 complaints about stuck Tesla doors since 2018, and several incidents have been reported where occupants were trapped inside burning vehicles. The investigation could potentially become very expensive for Tesla if the issue is found to be widespread.