My son used the R2 emergency door handle release for the first time yesterday.

[iamnid]

I fully expect a third-party company will make some type of lever that replaces the current flat knock out panel that the cable is currently attached to.

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[Dark-Fx]

Yup- I get that. FWIW a rep at the Rivian store says that applies the the service release too. That the doors cannot be opened by "any" method if the car is moving or if the redundant power is still being supplied.

Absolutely not true, the manual release is a direct line to the back side of the latch that pulls it open. They aren't holding it closed electrically, and it's not a two-stage pull like some latches are.

 

[TechDad]

I fully expect a third-party company will make some type of lever that replaces the current flat knock out panel that the cable is currently attached to.

Doubt it - when it comes to safety features such as this, I believe third companies tend to steer away from 'accessories' that can cause them serious liability issues, especially for something that will be used 99% only in the event of an emergency...

 

[sparked]

Absolutely not true, the manual release is a direct line to the back side of the latch that pulls it open. They aren't holding it closed electrically, and it's not a two-stage pull like some latches are.

So this is why they didn't make this a more prominent lever in the rear since it would bypass child safety locks. Seems like overall it's a good thing in an emergency that it opens this easily.

 

[LivingInKaos]

I honestly would bet money that they had RJ's kids actually test these things out and help with design. It's amazing how much they are involved in things.

 

[HaveBlue]

Not true:

They also didn't mention that the button doesn't work when the car locks which is probably the most common scenario when someone waits in the car for the driver to return. Truly this stupidity is why I wouldn't tolerate a car without mechanical latches.

 

[Dark-Fx]

They also didn't mention that the button doesn't work when the car locks which is probably the most common scenario when someone waits in the car for the driver to return. Truly this stupidity is why I wouldn't tolerate a car without mechanical latches.

Alright.

 

[LivingInKaos]

Alright.

Truly this stupidity is why I wouldn't tolerate a car without mechanical latches.

Mechanical latches or mechanical locks? A mechanical latch wouldn't do crap if the door was still locked and no key around.

 

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

I'm trying to remember if they are one-use only, or if they 'reset'. I thought I read something saying that since they are technically emergency releases that they were single-use.

I must've pulled it out and put it back a half-dozen times on the R2 at Tysons last weekend. If they were "single use", then, oops?

 

[HaveBlue]

Mechanical latches or mechanical locks? A mechanical latch wouldn't do crap if the door was still locked and no key around.

Yea whatever opens the door to let people out. This is why NFPA codes exist for doors that don't require a key to exit a structure, bedrooms require minimum sized egress directly outside with no unlockable bars. Those codes apply to mobile homes and should apply to other vehicles including cars and boats.

 

[emroch]

Yea whatever opens the door to let people out. This is why NFPA codes exist for doors that don't require a key to exit a structure, bedrooms require minimum sized egress directly outside with no unlockable bars. Those codes apply to mobile homes and should apply to other vehicles including cars and boats.

I've only been in a handful of cars that override the lock when pulling on the latch release handle. Most of the time if the door is locked you need to find the lock/unlock button on the armrest/door panel and unlock then pull the handle.

If you're sitting in the car and the doors lock, it is not hard to escape. I know in pet mode the e-latch is disabled so the dog doesn't hit it accidentally, but pressing it 5 times overrides and opens the door.

 

[Mos Eisley]

Who’s gonna take one for the team and show us opening the door with that pull at speed?

 

[macb00kemdanno]

I must've pulled it out and put it back a half-dozen times on the R2 at Tysons last weekend.

 

[srkz]

So OP has framed this as a good thing, but uh… the car just goes to sleep and effectively locks passengers inside by being unresponsive after a few minutes even with the doors “unlocked” necessitating a hidden emergency release? It’s actually baffling me that anyone is okay with eLatches at all, the whole concept seems egregiously inconvenient at best and still somewhat dangerous at worst.

 

[emroch]

So OP has framed this as a good thing, but uh… the car just goes to sleep and effectively locks passengers inside by being unresponsive after a few minutes even with the doors “unlocked” necessitating a hidden emergency release? It’s actually baffling me that anyone is okay with eLatches at all, the whole concept seems egregiously inconvenient at best and still somewhat dangerous at worst.

Are you framing that as a question or stating it as a fact? I don't think it is supposed to lose responsiveness at any point, and if it does that is probably a software bug that should be reported so they can address it.

These latches are not novel. Many cars have electronic door releases that are not connected by cable to the physical latch (or at least not at the first pull stop). The manual latch releases are not meant to be used in normal situations, including when the car is idle. If you find yourself needing to reach for the manual release outside of a system failure, something is wrong.

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