A new report has put the spotlight on a troubling pattern of fatal crashes in the US involving Teslas, where passengers were unable to open the doors, trapping them inside. As the brand’s EVs grow more common on American roads, so too does scrutiny over their safety features, or in this case, the lack of physical fail-safes in the event of a crash.

Read: Tesla Sued Again After Doors Wouldn’t Open As Car Burned

The investigation zeroes in on Tesla’s electronic door handles, a signature design feature that has since been adopted by several other automakers, raising concerns about an industry-wide trend toward software-dependent safety mechanisms.

During an ongoing investigation into safety concerns about these door handles, Bloomberg found evidence that at least 15 people have died in the past decade in incidents involving Teslas where locked or inoperable doors were cited as a potential factor in the victims’ inability to escape.

More than half of those deaths occurred within the past year, suggesting the issue may be becoming more common, or at least more visible, as awareness grows.

Behind the Numbers

The report acknowledges a critical limitation. There is no publicly maintained federal database that tracks fatalities specifically linked to electronic door handle malfunctions. As a result, the findings aren’t meant to represent a definitive or exhaustive total.

Instead, Bloomberg built its list by reviewing every known fatal electric vehicle crash involving fire in the US, then analyzing whether evidence suggested that the doors could not be opened either by occupants or emergency responders.

In each of the 15 cases they flagged, nonfunctional door handles were cited as having “impeded either the occupants’ efforts to escape or rescuers’ attempts to save those inside the vehicle.”

One such incident happened in Virginia, where a Tesla Model 3 skidded off a snowy highway, hit a tree, and caught fire. Footage from inside the patrol car shows that the officer was unable to open the Model 3’s door, forcing him to bash open one of the windows and pull out the driver.

Audio from the Wreckage

One fatal crash occurred in Wisconsin last year, killing five people inside a Tesla Model S. Audio from three 911 calls was later obtained, including one placed automatically by an occupant’s Apple Watch.

At least two of the occupants can be heard screaming and crying for help in the recordings, with one clearly saying, “I’m stuck” as the fire spread through the vehicle, ultimately claiming their lives. It remains unclear whether the other three victims survived the initial impact before the blaze took over.

Tesla Responds to Design Concerns

Tesla, for its part, appears to have quietly acknowledged the concerns in part. In September, reports surfaced that the company was exploring revisions to its door handle system. Future models may include a combination of electronic and manual release mechanisms, something already standard in brands like Audi and Lexus.

Perhaps eager to reassure shoppers about the safety of its vehicles, Tesla recently launched a new page on its website focused purely on safety. There, the company explains that its vehicles are designed to automatically activate hazard lights and unlock doors in the event of a serious collision. It also notes that the vehicle can contact emergency services autonomously.

However, Tesla also includes a key disclaimer: these features “may not be available in all regions or for all vehicles based on build date.”

While Tesla appears to be making some moves to address the issue in the future, questions still remain, not just about the company’s design choices, but also about the regulatory landscape and the lack of clear oversight. The analysis doesn’t claim that electronic door handles are inherently unsafe, but it does point to the need for more reliable fail-safes in situations where delays can be deadly.

Tesla took to X over the weekend to announce that Dutch automotive safety regulator RDW had committed to approving its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system in February 2026. As it turns out, Elon Musk’s company jumped the gun, and the agency made no such commitment.

Watch: Tesla Fans Gave FSD The Wheel For Elon’s Coast-To-Coast Trip

The claim sparked quick clarification from the regulator and a flurry of online chatter about Tesla’s ongoing bid to expand FSD beyond American roads.

While Tesla has been offering its Full Self-Driving system in the United States for years, it hasn’t been able to do the same in Europe.

Europe’s Roadblock

According to the carmaker, it has already provided FSD demonstrations “to regulators of almost every EU country” and believes the most effective path to rolling out the system across the continent is through the RDW, with the goal of securing an exemption for the feature.

In its X post, Tesla Europe & Middle East proclaimed that “RDW has committed to granting Netherlands National approval in February 2026.” The company even urged followers to contact the regulator directly to “express your excitement & thank them for making this happen as soon as possible.”

However, the regulator quickly pushed back. In a statement published on its website, the regulator explained that it expects Tesla to demonstrate FSD next February, but it denied making any commitment to approval.

Tesla has been working hard toward shipping Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in Europe for over 12 months now. We have given FSD demos to regulators of almost every EU country. We have requested early access, pilot release programs or exemptions where possible.

We have developed…

— Tesla Europe & Middle East (@teslaeurope) November 22, 2025

“We do not share details about ongoing applications from manufacturers, as this concerns commercially sensitive information,” it wrote. “Both RDW and Tesla are aware of the efforts needed to reach a decision on this matter in February. Whether this timeline will be met is yet to be determined in the coming period.”

Regulator Grows Tired of Tesla Fans’ Calls

The regulatory agency also asked Tesla’s fans to stop contacting it about FSD, noting that “it takes up unnecessary time for our customer service,” adding “this will have no impact whatsoever on whether or not the schedule will be met.”

Recently, Tesla boss Elon Musk said, “pressure from our customers in Europe to push the regulators to approve would be appreciated.”

Speaking with Bloomberg, the head of safe autonomy at the University of Warwick, Siddartha Khastgir, said it’s unusual to see a carmaker attempting to pressure the RDW.

“An approval process of an automated driving system is a deeply technical one to ensure the safety of the public,” he explained. “The sanctity of any such approvals is ensured by its independence and rigor, not force. While public sentiment is important for all authorities, this shouldn’t undermine the rigor of the approval process.”

Sometimes the best ideas are born out of failure. That is exactly what happened with the Dashaway eCT, a clever little camping trailer from British company Wheelhome. It started life as a sleek roof tent designed specifically for the Tesla Model 3.

More: This $3M Space-Age Motorhome Looks Like It’s From Another Planet

The original goal was simple enough: create a low-drag, space-age camping capsule that blended seamlessly with the Model 3’s curves. It was meant to be the ultimate companion for electric road trips. The snag? No one actually wanted to buy one.

And that’s a shame, because the eRC roof-camper prototype was far more sophisticated than your average roof tent.

What Happened Next?

Molded to fit the contours of the Model 3’s body, it featured a two-seat rear-facing sofa that converted into a double bed, and shelves and partitions to take a power bank, cooking equipment and even a toilet.

Wheelhome’s owner Stephen Wheeler tested it out on his own facelifted Model 3, taking it on a 3,500-mile (5,630 km) tour of Iceland this summer, and got a great reaction when he displayed it at EV shows with plans to put it into production, But that reaction didn’t translate into firm sales.

Rather than give up, Wheeler turned the prototype into something smarter. He took the same teardrop-style pod and placed it on a lightweight single-axle trailer chassis.

From Roof To Road

Suddenly the quirky Tesla roof tent became the Dashaway eCT, a tiny camper that almost any car can tow. Instead of being a niche curiosity for a small subset of EV owners, it’s a fully fledged mini trailer with broad appeal.

More: Daihatsu’s Microvan Camper Might Be The Only One That Actually Gets It

At just under 3,800 mm (150 inches) long, the eCT weighs only about 340 kg (750 lbs), which makes it easy to pull even with small hatchbacks. And because it’s so low and sleek when folded down, it shouldn’t ruin your mpg. But park up and the top extends so high you can stand up inside.

The eCT’s design still carries the DNA of the original concept, but has the added benefit of not getting in the way of trunk opening and offering an additional underfloor storage area because it now rides on a trailer chassis.

Wheelhome

Each camper has a sink with electrically-pumped 10-liter (2.64 US gallon) water supply and there’s room for a Porta Potti that can be accessed with the bed in place. In fact, it’s so close you can almost use it without leaving the bed.

A campsite mains hook-up and large lithium battery pack and 2,600 W inverter let you plug in electrical devices like air fryers, microwaves and kettles, and together with a 200 W solar panel provide power for at least two days of off-grid camping.

Bigger batteries are available if you’re planning longer escapes, though that’ll bump up the £26,225 ($34,600) price.

Wheelhome