Not all sleek hidden door handles are dangerous electrically operated. Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 are mechanical opening. True higher specs electronically pop out, but the final opening is entirely mechanical. You can feel the linkage engaging when opening.
The main issue, the one that led to multiple deaths (including that recent Nio crash), isn’t that the door didn’t unlock due to electric locks or something.
It’s, like for the Tesla Cybergarbage, the fact that the door handles aren’t accessible. Doesn’t matter whether or not they mechanically operate a lock – the issue is/was that the door handles are recessed in a way that makes them inaccessible if the power goes out. Same for the Nio.
So, in a crash, you simply couldn’t even get to the door handle. Again, as has happened in a relatively recent Cybertruck crash, with three teenagers perished despite first responders reaching the car basically immediately (friends were driving behind). They asphyxiated (while unconscious from the crash), while the first responders weren’t able to open the doors, and also had trouble getting through the double glazed windows (they managed eventually, with a tree branch, iirc).
Add to that the absolute asinine placement for emergency releases (front passengers often use it accidentally and break the frameless window because they don’t retract when the emergency release is pulled, the rear passenger release is somewhere hidden under some random arse rubber mat somewhere, though not of consequence in this crash since the victims of the Tesla were unconscious anyway).. Yeah.
PS: flush handles very much are for efficiency reasons. You’d be surprised by the impact. That’s also the reason for this incredibly stupid electric side mirror/camera garbage.
It also very much isn’t a new trend, no idea where you got that idea from. Flush door handles exist in mass produced cars since the 70s. For a really good example, check the early 80s Subaru XT Coupe.
Pretty sure what you mean is retracting door handles, and it really isn’t a trend. It’s Teslas and chinese manufacturers, no one else jumped on that bandwagon.
Prior: SEAT Ateca Xcellence Lux 1.5 TSI DSG MY19, VW Golf GTE PHEV DSG MY23
Current: Hyundai Ioniq 6 Ultimate
Next: we'll see what's available in 2028.