01/06/2025

theSunday Special XV ON SUNDAY JUNE 1, 2025

Door handles now a matter of life or death

WHEN was the last time you paid atten tion to the humble door handle of your car? It is a simple con

met a sad fiery end. Except that they did have a way of escaping, had they known how to oper ate the hidden mechanical door latches hidden in the door panel. You see, every car that comes with an

traption that serves a very important pur pose yet almost all of us do not pay atten tion to it other than using it to open or close the car door. Over the years, the door handle has progressed from something that merely served a singular purpose to becom ing a design element. Now we are seeing different kinds of door handles, the ones inside the cabin and the ones outside as well. Door handles have evolved from one that just stood out, to one that needed to be pressed at one end and pulled out the other (like that of a Nissan GT R or a smart #1) and even one that pops out to greet you when you approached the car. Door handles have also evolved to operate mechani cally, to complicated electronic systems. Lexus for example, took it a step further and intro duced something called the e Latch. This system works by ensur ing no pedestrian or vehicle was approaching the car when you needed to open the door. And in the event something or someone was approaching the car, it simply did not let you open the door until it was safe to do so. It was done in the name of safety, and it has worked like a charm. There was also a back up door knob in case the elec tronic one failed, and there in lays the subject of today’s col umn. There is a problem with the electronic door handle, one that no one is talking about, and policy makers should take note of, and quick. Electronic door handles, especially those in the inside can be a real problem, espe cially when the system fails for whatever reason. There was an unfortunate accident that took place in Canada some time last year. Some friends travelling in an electric vehicle met with an accident and the impact caused the car to catch fire. I will not mention the brand of the car for fear of having the book thrown at me, but in the ensuing fire, the electrical sys tems failed and this caused the electronic door latches to mal function. The poor occupants had no way of escaping and

WRITTEN BY KESHY DHILLON

electronic door latch also has a mechanical latch somewhere around the door panel. Car makers have thought of unfortunate incidents such as the one that happened in Canada, but unfortunately a lot of these mechanical door latches are hidden out of sight in the never-ending pursuit of design perfection. Modern car designers and buyers, especially those buying EV’s, seem to be obsessed with keeping the interiors sim ple, so much so that basic things like mechanical door latches have to be sacrificed. So, what am I trying to get at here is communication. Car makers should ensure that their salespeople brief custom ers safety systems, how they operate and what they need to do in an event of an emer gency. They should ensure their customers know what to do in the event of an emergency, and they should inform them where the backup door latches are in case the primary electri cal ones fail. This should be their top pri ority when delivering a new car, and policy makers should ensure that car makers place these secondary latches in easy to see areas. And please, no steel cables looped around pretending to be a door latch. I personally tried to explore the location of a mechanical door latch in four different brands of EV’s, and all of them were in different locations. In fact, one did not even have a latch but instead there was simple steel cable that you accessed by removing a small column that hid the cable. Imagine trying to figure that out in an emergency. And worse if the car was turtled and you lost your bearings. Door latches are simple con traptions but play a very important role. They should not be complicated but unfor tunately, are now very com plex. Policy makers need to be made aware, because I have not heard a single policy maker talking about the dangers of electronic door handles. Have you?

Rear-wheel wonder MG S5 EV priced from RM115,900 with comprehensive features and two battery options

MG MALAYSIA has formally announced the retail price of its new all-electric MG S5 EV, set ting it at RM115,900 for the COM variant, RM125,900 for the COM Long Range and RM135,900 for the LUX Long Range. This comes shortly after its public debut at the Malaysia Autoshow 2025, where the company initially hinted at a starting price of RM115,000 and offered exclusive incentives to early adopt ers. During the autoshow, prospective buyers were invited to place an RM500 booking to secure an early bird package, which included benefits worth 10 times the booking fee and a complimen tary 7kW Wallbox AC charger. This initiative reflects MG’s broader efforts to make home EV charging solutions more accessi ble in Malaysia’s evolving electric vehicle land scape. The MG S5 EV is offered in three trim levels: COM, COM Long Range and LUX Long Range. The COM variant is available with a choice of either a 49kWh or a 62kWh battery pack, provid ing a WLTP-rated driving range of up to 340km and 430km respectively. The LUX variant, which comes exclusively with the larger 62kWh battery, also delivers a range of up to 430km. Both versions are powered by a rear-mounted electric motor, delivering 170PS and 250Nm of torque, making the MG S5 EV the only model in its segment to offer a rear-wheel-drive layout. Charging capabilities vary slightly between the two variants. All models support 7kW AC charg

ing, suitable for standard home wallbox systems. However, the LUX variant supports 150kW DC fast charging, enabling the battery to recharge from 10% to 80% in approximately 26 minutes. This quick-charge capability is further sup ported by MG’s proprietary battery management system, which includes an adaptive pressure con trol mechanism to reduce battery cell expansion and improve both durability and safety. The LUX variant stands out for its premium appointments and added technology features. It is equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels, a pano ramic sunroof, and leather-fabric upholstery with MG-branded perforations. A heated leather steering wheel, wireless phone charging, powered tailgate, and a six speaker audio system contribute to the overall sense of refinement. Driver assistance and convenience features include a 360° camera system and a digital cock pit comprising a 12.8-inch infotainment screen with voice command support and a 10.25-inch digital instrument display. The iSmart connectivity system, which is included as standard, offers full wireless integra tion with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. MG has engineered the S5 EV around an ultra-thin horizontal battery design, resulting in a lower centre of gravity and increased cabin room. The dual battery offering across both trims is aimed at providing flexibility for drivers, whether prioritising daily urban commutes or longer-dis tance travel.