Developments in car door latching systems

Throughout the history of the automobile, and during the past four decades in particular, the door latching systems employed by the various original equipment manufacturers have continually and considerably evolved. This evolution has encompassed both the mechanical components of the latch and, more recently, the means of actuation employed by systems such as central locking and double/deadlocking. Various factors have influenced the developments which have taken place, such as safety, security, ergonomics and economic considerations, and the resulting designs are often compromises based on which factors are considered to be of greatest importance at the time and which market the design is targeting. This paper charts the history of the car door latching system, from its initial conception, through the years to present-day systems, and the technologies employed. It also looks at concepts and technologies currently under development and attempts to predict the direction in which the industry is heading and the latching systems which may come on to the market in the near future.