‘Electronic auto locks very dangerous’: Piyush Goyal urges auto industry to work on safety
The auto industry should worry about ‘electronic auto locks’ or flush door handles before the government steps in, warns Union minister Piyush Goyal
- Sep 2, 2026,
- Updated Sep 2, 2026 5:36 PM IST
Union minister of commerce and industry Piyush Goyal on Wednesday urged the automobile industry to take suo motto action on flush door handles, warning that these “electronic auto locks” could be very dangerous during floods.
“Why do you leave it to the government to worry that if there is a flood or an unfortunate event, that electronic auto locks in the car can actually be very very dangerous,” Goyal said at the 66th ACMA Annual Session.
“The auto sector (SIAM) should be addressing these challenges. “I think more than me, you should be worried about it,” said Goyal.
The Union minister urged the industry to make safety a key focus area.
“Make your industry conscious of safety and don’t leave it to the government to come and interfere in your business. I think that suo motto action is what I want to appeal to you to focus on,” said Goyal.
Earlier in 2026, China became the first country in the world to ban hidden car door handles amid safety concerns after a spate of deadly incidents which left people trapped inside their cars.
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Automakers selling cars in China will need to have a mechanical release both on the inside and outside of their car doors.
Flush door handles differ from traditional door handles as they sit seamlessly with the car’s body and can be almost invisible. Manufacturers mainly use these handles for their visual appeal.
Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, and its British subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover, offers several cars with pop-out flush handles. Tata’s newly launched Sierra and the Curvv come with hidden door handles. South Korean carmaker Kia also offers its Seltos and Syros with flush-fitted door handles.
Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) also gives flush-fitted door handles with cars such as Mahindra XEV 9e, Mahindra BE 6, Mahindra XEV 9S, XUV700, and the XUV7XO.
The Union minister said that adding more cameras can enhance vehicle safety.
“While in India, we may not need autonomous driving because of the number of people we have. We have enough chauffeurs. I don’t imagine myself getting into an autonomous car on the road here. But those cameras are still very useful. I saw that in the Mahindra EV recently as a safety feature. We need to take the safety to the next level,” said Goyal.
On the government’s vehicle scrappage policy, Goyal sought the support of the auto industry. “We have to make scrappage of old vehicles a profitable and valuable proposition for new vehicle buyers. It can only be a shared effort of the government and the private sector. We have tried to give some incentives. I think the industry needs to come forward and give a fair value when you scrap a vehicle,” he noted.
Union minister of commerce and industry Piyush Goyal on Wednesday urged the automobile industry to take suo motto action on flush door handles, warning that these “electronic auto locks” could be very dangerous during floods.
“Why do you leave it to the government to worry that if there is a flood or an unfortunate event, that electronic auto locks in the car can actually be very very dangerous,” Goyal said at the 66th ACMA Annual Session.
“The auto sector (SIAM) should be addressing these challenges. “I think more than me, you should be worried about it,” said Goyal.
The Union minister urged the industry to make safety a key focus area.
“Make your industry conscious of safety and don’t leave it to the government to come and interfere in your business. I think that suo motto action is what I want to appeal to you to focus on,” said Goyal.
Earlier in 2026, China became the first country in the world to ban hidden car door handles amid safety concerns after a spate of deadly incidents which left people trapped inside their cars.
Don't Miss: 'Are these growth numbers real?': Ex-RBI governor Raghuram Rajan casts doubts on India's GDP numbers
Automakers selling cars in China will need to have a mechanical release both on the inside and outside of their car doors.
Flush door handles differ from traditional door handles as they sit seamlessly with the car’s body and can be almost invisible. Manufacturers mainly use these handles for their visual appeal.
Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, and its British subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover, offers several cars with pop-out flush handles. Tata’s newly launched Sierra and the Curvv come with hidden door handles. South Korean carmaker Kia also offers its Seltos and Syros with flush-fitted door handles.
Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) also gives flush-fitted door handles with cars such as Mahindra XEV 9e, Mahindra BE 6, Mahindra XEV 9S, XUV700, and the XUV7XO.
The Union minister said that adding more cameras can enhance vehicle safety.
“While in India, we may not need autonomous driving because of the number of people we have. We have enough chauffeurs. I don’t imagine myself getting into an autonomous car on the road here. But those cameras are still very useful. I saw that in the Mahindra EV recently as a safety feature. We need to take the safety to the next level,” said Goyal.
On the government’s vehicle scrappage policy, Goyal sought the support of the auto industry. “We have to make scrappage of old vehicles a profitable and valuable proposition for new vehicle buyers. It can only be a shared effort of the government and the private sector. We have tried to give some incentives. I think the industry needs to come forward and give a fair value when you scrap a vehicle,” he noted.