VW has patented a retractable door handle that is significantly more complicated than previously known handles - but it looks simpler. Is the technology planned for the ID Buzz?
Retractable door handles give cars a smoother look and minimally improve the drag coefficient. Aston Martin has been using this technology for years, and Tesla was added later. Now the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA) has published VW patent specifications that show a very special design of retractable door handles.
VW technology with more moving parts
While retractable door handles used to simply move or fold out of the door when in use, the VW engineers have added a complication to the technology: According to the patent, a cylinder moves far out of the door, then square bolts fold out of the cylinder on the right and left - apparently to form a handle that is easier to grip and turn.
Design feature on the way
When not in use, the two bolts fold back into the cylinder, which in turn retracts completely into the body until its surface is flush with it. Then only a small circle can be seen from the outside - a look that could develop into a VW design feature.
It is unclear whether VW will even use the patented door handles in a prototype or even a series model. To the new VW ID. Buzz , for example, they could fit optically quite well.
Conclusion
Even if they can make the work of rescue workers more difficult in an emergency, retractable door handles seem to be a trend. Visually, they match the currently popular simplicity in design and a slightly lower drag coefficient helps to save energy.
Retractable door handles from Aston Martin and Tesla have long been known, now VW has also patented such a technology. However, the VW system is more complicated, as two bolts fold out of an extendable cylinder - the lock apparently rotates. Whether VW will ever use the technology in a production model is unknown.
