"because it's about system safety, not our door handles, really, Anders Bell, Volvo's chief technology officer, told reporters at the EX60 crossover's launch event on Wednesday. The reason I say it's a bit misguided is because it's not really about door handles, it's about redundancy. It's all about being able to quickly exit the car in a reliable way if you're in the crash, but also, if you're unconscious, that somebody else can get you out, he said."
"Regulatory scrutiny on power door handles is all based on the extraction problem. Electronic door handles require power to function, unlike traditional manual latches. When a vehicle crashes or loses power, the handles often can't function. In the vast majority of cars, there are mechanical releases to address that issue. But the mere presence of a backup isn't enough if you don't know how to use it."
Regulators and consumers have grown skeptical of power door handles because electronic mechanisms can fail after a crash or power loss, complicating occupant extraction. Volvo is equipping the EX60 electric crossover with shark-fin electronic door handles while emphasizing system-level redundancy to ensure safe egress and rescuer access. Electronic handles require electrical power and therefore often include mechanical releases as backups. Mechanical backups only solve the problem if occupants or rescuers know their location and operation. Past incidents, such as a 2007 Corvette case where an unaware owner could not use a floor-mounted release, illustrate the risk.
Read at insideevs.com
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