Even More Tesla Doors Draw Regulatory Attention

Happy Tuesday! It’s December 16, 2025, and this is The Morning Shift — your daily roundup of the top automotive headlines from around the world, in one place. This is where you’ll find the most important stories that are shaping the way Americans drive and get around.

In this morning’s edition, we’re looking at yet another NHTSA investigation into Tesla’s doors, as well as Waymo’s attempts to make its cars work when traffic lights don’t. We’ll also look at Toyota’s November numbers, and Hyundai’s latest recall. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been investigating Tesla’s doors for the small issue of “trapping passengers inside while they burn to death.” That investigation initially only focused on the Model Y, but now it’s expanded to include the Model 3 as well. Given how similar Tesla’s handles are across its lineup, don’t be surprised if the Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck get hit too. From Reuters:

Dec 24 (Reuters) – The U.S. auto safety regulator said on Wednesday it has opened a defect investigation into Tesla Model 3 compact sedans over concerns that emergency door release controls may not be easily accessible or clearly identifiable in an emergency.

The Office of Defects Investigation said the probe covers an estimated 179,071 model year 2022 vehicles.

The investigation was opened on December 23 after the agency received a defect petition alleging that the vehicles’ mechanical door release is hidden, unlabeled and not intuitive to locate during emergencies.

Just last week, Bloomberg found at least 15 fatalities caused by the ill-advised design of Tesla’s futuristic handles–one the auto industry at large unfortunately seems keen on adopting. But nailing down such a number is tricky, and the actual body count could be even higher. 

Last week, Waymo cars across the Bay Area came to dangerous standstills in the middle of intersections, blocking roadways after traffic lights were hit by a power outage. Now, the company is doing its best to ensure its cars don’t do that again. From Reuters:

Alphabet unit Waymo said on Tuesday it will update software used to operate its self-driving vehicles and improve its emergency response protocols after its robotaxis stalled in parts of San Francisco on Saturday due to a widespread power outage that snarled traffic and gridlocked parts of the city.

Waymo paused service Saturday evening following a fire at a PG&E substation that knocked out power to roughly one-third of the city, affecting about 130,000 residents and forcing some businesses to close temporarily.

A number of videos posted on social media showed Waymo robotaxis stuck at intersections with their hazard lights turned on as traffic lights stopped working due to the outage.

Waymo said its self-driving vehicles are designed to handle dark traffic signals at four-way stops but they may occasionally request a confirmation check.

If Waymo cars are “designed to handle dark traffic signals,” but didn’t actually manage to handle those dark traffic signals, it sounds like they’re not functioning as designed. Just a reminder that all robotaxis are beta products, and companies are testing them by just handing software control of thousands of pounds of metal and glass that could well hit you at any time. 

Toyota is one of the world’s largest automakers, but it’s not infallible. Case in point, it struggled in November thanks to drops in sales in perhaps the world’s most important automotive market: China. It may not be Toyota’s fault, though — the company may just be caught up in some international relations issues. From Bloomberg:

Toyota Motor Corp.’s sales and production fell in November, weighed down in large part by a sharp drop in China as the country discontinues subsidies meant to boost the sales of electric and fuel-efficient cars.

Global sales — including at subsidiaries Daihatsu Motor Co. and Hino Motors Ltd. — fell 1.9% in the period from a year earlier to 965,919 units, the Japanese carmaker said Thursday. Production shrank 3.4% to 934,001 vehicles.

Toyota and Lexus brand sales in China fell 12% in November, the company said, citing the end of trade-in subsidies in major cities as funds ran dry. The figures were released against a backdrop of diplomatic tensions that have been brewing between China and Japan since November, when Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made remarks about Taiwan that angered Asia’s biggest economy. China responded by warning its citizens against traveling to Japan.

Lots of automakers have been blaming recent drops in sales on the cessation of EV subsidies in China and the U.S., but Toyota offers fewer EV models than most. The trade-in subsidies are a more likely culprit here, but it’ll be interesting to see if other automakers faced the same issues as more numbers for the month roll out. 

Hyundai is recalling nearly 52,000 Tucsons for trailer wiring harnesses that could start fires, but the issues aren’t really Hyundai’s fault. The harness, which comes from a third-party supplier, seems entirely to blame. From Reuters:

Hyundai Motor is recalling 51,587 vehicles in the U.S. because a short circuit in non-functioning trailer lights, caused by incorrect installation of the wiring harness, could increase the risk of fire, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Wednesday.

As a remedy, owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the trailer wiring harness, free of charge, NHTSA added.

The Tucsons themselves aren’t even addressed in the recall notices — technically, the recall is for the trailer wiring harness itself. Given that the harness only fits the Tucson, though, you can guess which owners will be getting notices to take their car in to the dealer. 

Apparently I’ve never used this track as an On The Radio gear, and that needs to be remedied immediately. The single version, which is just better than the version off “Por Vida.”