Wei Jianjun Slams Hidden Door Handles as "Pseudo-Tech" with Safety Risks; Great Wall Stands by Mechanical Design

On the evening of March 9, Wei Jianjun, Chairman of Great Wall Motor, openly criticized hidden door handles as "pseudo-technology" during a live stream, stating they rely on electric control and may fail to open under extreme conditions such as power outages or collisions, posing serious safety risks. He revealed that Great Wall Motor had internally debated this design for seven months before ultimately deciding to abandon the hidden approach in favor of simple, highly reliable mechanical door handles. Wei emphasized that hidden door handles offer negligible improvements in aerodynamic drag and driving range—far less effective than optimizing tires or chassis design. According to data from CCTV.com, electronically operated door handles have only a 67% success rate in deploying after a side collision, significantly lower than the 98% rate for mechanical handles. Additionally, electronic handles are prone to freezing and malfunctioning in the severe cold of northern regions. Notably, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has issued a new national standard titled "Safety Technical Requirements for Automotive Door Handles," mandating that all electric door handles must include a mechanical emergency release mechanism. The regulation will take effect in 2027 and become fully mandatory by 2029.