- EV-only automaker Rivian is reportedly redesigning its interior doors in response to a controversy affecting rival Tesla
- The federal government has launched an investigation into reports that Tesla’s door handle design can trap passengers after a crash
Electric vehicle (EV) builder Rivian will reportedly redesign its interior door handles in response to a safety controversy affecting rival Tesla.
Bloomberg reports that the company “is reworking a key element of its vehicle doors after employees and customers raised concerns over potential safety issues with the current design.” The news service cites “people familiar with the matter.”
Like those in most Tesla cars, some Rivian doors open at the press of a button. The button requires electricity to work. In the event of an accident, the button may lack power.
An emergency release lets passengers open the doors manually, but it can be difficult to locate. In the seconds after an accident, dazed passengers may not figure out the unfamiliar steps to manually open a door.
A recent Bloomberg investigation found a series of incidents in which passengers may have been killed because they could not escape a Tesla after a crash.
Rivian’s Problem May Be Smaller Than Tesla’s
- The company only recently moved to button-equipped doors
Rivian, Bloomberg says, “plans to incorporate a manual release that’s more clearly visible and located near the electrically powered interior handles in the rear doors” of its upcoming R2 SUV, slated for release early next year.
The report did not disclose whether Rivian would modify the door handles of the R1T pickups and R1S SUVs it has already sold. A federal investigation into Tesla’s door handle design could result in a massive recall, forcing the company to modify millions of doors in cars already on the road.
Rivian’s problem is likely smaller. The Drive notes, “The first run of R1 EVs had fully mechanical door latches, but the revision in 2025 changed to a system where there is no physical connection between the handle or button that an occupant interacts with, and the release.” There are, however, manual backup releases.
Cox Automotive, parent company of Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader, is a minority investor in Rivian.
