Should the government make the use of turn signal stalks and visual signals mandatory?

Today, some cars don’t have turn signal stalks – no. Others have hidden manual door releases that require the patience of bomb disposal technicians. If you think this is exaggerated, just ask anyone who has tried to escape from the back seat of a Tesla in a pinch. Story after story highlights the safety concerns these confusing designs pose for drivers and passengers. So, here’s the big question: Should the government step in to end this madness?

Read the manual or play an escape room course

One side of the argument is that people should know and understand the cars they ride in. This includes understanding how the doors open and what to do if the electronic door lock fails. Fair enough, right? Of course, in theory. But in reality, automakers often seem to make the least intuitive design choices among the competition.

Currently, there is no legislation forcing them to consider e.g. “Basic availability in emergencies.” Who suffers? Drivers, renters and anyone unfortunate enough to be stuck in a car designed to prioritize fashion over survival.

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Take Tesla for example. People who rent or borrow these cars often complain that they don’t know how to exit when the electronic system fails. This isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a potential danger.

READ: A Rivian R1S starts spewing smoke and the driver is ‘trapped’ inside the car, unable to open the door

One Reddit user summed it up well, describing the techniques needed to open a Tesla’s backdoor in an emergency: “Try explaining the emergency release mechanism to a 70 year old parent and show the whole process of removing a water bottle from the side pocket, lifting the rubber cover, opening the hatch and somehow feeling your way through the short metal wire and having a good experience .Grab it and pull the angle.”

They specifically discuss how one can get out of the back seat of a Tesla if the power door pop-up doesn’t work. Although they don’t mention it, younger children may also have difficulty with this task. That’s not to say Tesla is the only company with complex manual releases, or that electronic door locks need to be phased out. Some brands have a very elegant solution to this problem.

Elegance still exists – in the hands of some established brands

some car manufacturers Do Try to get it right. Audi, Lexus and some other cars integrate manual emergency releases into the interior door handles. So under normal circumstances, pulling the lever halfway will open the door. If they need to use the manual release, they simply pull the same handle slightly harder (or pull the entire handle further). It’s a simple and intuitive thing that shouldn’t confuse anyone.

So, should Uncle Sam be involved?

With all of this in mind, we’ll turn the questions over to you. Should the government or one of its agencies, such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, be involved? Should they require automakers to use consistent manual door releases, or do something similar with turn signals (which are buttons on the steering wheel instead of levers in some cars) or other safety equipment?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments. Is it time for some federal intervention, or should manufacturers be left to devise their own ways to solve (or get rid of) these headaches?

Main image: ThatsBelowMyPayGrade/Reddit