SAFE Exit Act Advances in U.S. House to Mandate Manual Door Releases in New Vehicles

On February 10, the SAFE Exit Act progressed further in the legislative process after members of the U.S. House of Representatives advanced the automotive safety bill during a markup session of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The proposed legislation addresses escalating safety risks associated with electric door handles and seeks to require integrated manual door release systems in all new vehicles fitted with electrically actuated door mechanisms.
Formally titled the Securing Accessible Functional Emergency Exit Act and introduced in January by U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Illinois, the measure was moved forward for full committee evaluation. Although the SAFE Exit Act has advanced beyond this initial procedural stage, multiple legislative approvals remain before it can become law. The initiative follows reported incidents in which vehicle occupants were unable to exit due to failure of electronic door systems, resulting in severe injuries and fatalities.

Why the SAFE Exit Act Focuses on Electric Door Handles

The widespread adoption of electric door handles and electronically controlled latching architectures has significantly altered modern vehicle access design. These systems typically rely on battery power, distributed electronic control units, and software-based actuation logic. In scenarios involving battery depletion, electrical faults, collision damage, or system-level failures, dependency on electronic actuation can compromise occupant egress. The SAFE Exit Act addresses this engineering vulnerability by mandating mechanical redundancy within door access systems.
Under the proposed automotive safety bill, any vehicle equipped with an electric door system must include:

• A clearly labeled manual door release

• A readily accessible and intuitive mechanical latch

• Emergency access provisions for first responders

The objective is to ensure deterministic and tool-free exit capability independent of vehicle power state, thereby maintaining vehicle emergency exit functionality under both normal and degraded operating conditions.

Mechanical Latch Requirement and Emergency Access

The SAFE Exit Act further stipulates that manual door release mechanisms must be visibly identifiable and ergonomically operable under high-stress conditions. From a safety engineering perspective, this implies standardized placement, intuitive actuation direction, and minimal operational force thresholds to reduce user hesitation during emergencies. By codifying a clear mechanical latch requirement, lawmakers aim to remove ambiguity associated with concealed or unconventional release interfaces found in certain electric vehicle architectures.
In parallel, the bill introduces requirements to facilitate first responder vehicle access when onboard electrical systems are non-functional. This provision acknowledges the operational constraints faced by emergency personnel during extrication scenarios, particularly when high-voltage battery isolation or system shutdown prevents electronic unlocking. The measure aligns vehicle emergency exit design with broader automotive safety regulations emphasizing fail-safe and fail-operational principles.

Regulatory Context and NHTSA Investigations

The legislative momentum coincides with increased federal oversight. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) initiated an investigation in September 2025 to assess potential defects in door systems of certain Tesla Model Y SUVs. Subsequently, in December, the agency opened an additional probe examining emergency release system performance in Tesla Model 3 vehicles.
These NHTSA investigations have intensified scrutiny of electronically controlled door architectures, particularly regarding redundancy validation, functional safety compliance, and human-machine interface clarity. While the SAFE Exit Act is not manufacturer-specific, ongoing federal evaluations have elevated industry-wide focus on compliance testing, design verification, and robust mechanical override integration within electric door handle assemblies.
As automotive platforms increasingly transition toward advanced electronic architectures and electrified propulsion systems, the SAFE Exit Act represents a regulatory recalibration emphasizing mechanical backup pathways in safety-critical subsystems. If enacted, the legislation could establish mandatory design baselines across passenger cars, reinforcing the principle that electrification and digitalization must be supported by uncompromised occupant protection and guaranteed manual egress capability under all failure modes.