China will phase in a world-first ban on hidden or retractable electric car door handles from January 2027, requiring all newly approved vehicles to have handles that can be manually opened even without power — a rule prompted by fatal incidents in which people were trapped inside burning, flooded, or frozen cars. The Australian Automotive Dealers' Association has warned that Australia risks becoming a "dumping ground" for car models no longer compliant with Chinese standards, as manufacturers may choose to keep selling older designs in markets with weaker safety requirements rather than redesigning them globally. Australia's independent safety body ANCAP (the Australasian New Car Assessment Programme) has urged the government to introduce mandatory regulations on the issue, noting that its own safety ratings are voluntary and carry no legal power to block non-compliant vehicles from entering the market.