China has banned hidden retractable car door handles. How are they dangerous – and what will Australia do?

From the publisher

They used to be a novelty in Australia: the futuristic, flush-mounted car door handles favoured by Elon Musk’s Tesla. However while the design – popularised with the Tesla Model S in 2012 and since adopted by other manufacturers – might look sleek, it may not be great in an emergency. After several deadly high-profile accidents involving different makes and models, in which power failings saw people trapped inside the vehicle, China has announced a world-first ban on hidden or retractable electric car door handles. But with less than six months to go before the ban is implemented, and domestic demand for electric vehicles booming, experts say it’s time for Australia…

The source's own excerpt, unedited