Electronic door handles have been a hot topic in the automotive industry recently, with concerns raised about the accessibility of manual door releases during emergencies. Rivian, a company known for its innovative approach, has addressed this issue in its upcoming R2 SUV. A series of new videos released this week offer a glimpse into the changes Rivian has made to improve the manual door release system.
First off, the front doors open from the inside in a similar manner to the existing R1 vehicles. An electronic button is used to open the door, with a manual door-release latch located at the front of the interior handle.
The rear doors also feature an electronic button, along with a revised rear manual release mechanism. Previously, passengers had to remove a panel to access a “release cord” that operated the manual latch. In the new R2 SUV, Rivian has relocated this release cord to the same front-of-the-handle position as the front seat manual releases, though it remains concealed behind a piece of plastic that needs to be popped out.
As the R2 SUV is still in pre-production, detailed instructions on accessing this release are not yet available. However, a recent video published by JerryRigEverything’s Zack Nelson provides a visual guide on how to access the manual release in case of a power failure affecting the electronic door release system.
While the manual release mechanism is still somewhat concealed behind a piece of plastic, it has been relocated to a more accessible position compared to previous designs. This improvement aims to make it easier for occupants to exit the vehicle in emergency situations.
Instances requiring manual door release are rare but critical, especially in the event of a severe accident. Quick and easy access to the manual release can be a lifesaving factor in such scenarios.
Rivian is not the only automaker reevaluating the accessibility of manual door releases. Tesla, in particular, has faced scrutiny over the design of its door handles, with reports linking them to incidents where occupants were unable to open the doors during accidents. The company has committed to rethinking its handle design to address safety concerns.
Electronic door latches, while convenient, can pose their own set of challenges. Ford, for example, had to issue a recall due to power-delivery issues affecting the electronic door latches on the Mustang Mach-E model last year.
