Slate News What Next: TBD | Trapped in a Tesla
Sep 28, 2025
Dana Hull, a Bloomberg News reporter covering Tesla and Elon Musk, dives deep into the controversial design of Tesla’s door handles. She highlights the critical safety risks they pose in emergencies, such as failures during crashes. Hull discusses alarming incidents where occupants were trapped, the complex battery systems contributing to these failures, and how regulatory scrutiny is intensifying. With Tesla promising redesigns, she emphasizes the importance of educating owners and first responders about emergency release procedures.
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Teen Dies After Being Trapped In Cybertruck Fire
- Krista Sukahara survived a Cybertruck crash but died when the vehicle caught fire and rescuers couldn’t open the doors.
- A friend smashed a window and pulled one passenger out but could not reach Krista in the backseat before flames took the cabin.
Bystanders Struggle To Free Trapped Model Y Passenger
- A Northern Virginia Model Y crash left a passenger trapped and smoky, and bystanders used tools to break windows but couldn’t reach the trapped occupant.
- Rescue crews ultimately had to cut the door open before the passenger could be freed and airlifted for burns.
Flush Handles Depend On Low-Voltage Power
- Tesla's flush, electrically powered door handles have been a defining, futuristic design since 2013 but rely on the car's low-voltage system.
- If that 12-volt system dies after a crash, handles won't operate and many occupants and rescuers can't easily open doors.