US regulators investigate Tesla after reports of faulty door handles trapping children in cars

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into Tesla’s 2021 Model Y vehicles following reports that electric-powered door handles stopped working, leading to children becoming trapped inside the cars. Nine complaints were received by NHTSA, with four instances where car owners had to break windows to free the trapped children. The issue seems to stem from electric locks receiving insufficient voltage, and though the doors can technically be opened from the inside, children are unable to reach the manual handles. This situation could be particularly dangerous in emergency scenarios, such as if children are trapped in a hot car. The investigation will examine around 170,000 Model Y vehicles to assess the scale of the issue. This is not the first time Tesla has been under investigation, with NHTSA also looking into its driver assistance systems. Meanwhile, Tesla faces challenges with declining electric vehicle sales, stiffening competition, and public backlash against CEO Elon Musk’s political ties. Despite releasing new models, Tesla’s US market share has fallen to its lowest point in nearly eight years.