India, Nov. 1 -- When a vehicle careens off the road, crashes, or a heavy tree collapses onto its roof during a storm, rapid extrication of those inside, stabilization, and transport within the critical sixty minutes (Golden Hour) dictate whether they live or die. For decades, automotive advancements focused on surviving the initial impact.

Today's premium vehicles are structurally strong in a crash, but are a nightmare for emergency responders. In a modern bid for minimalist aesthetics, aerodynamics, and digital luxury, manufacturers are providing high-tech fortresses that have become tombs for the occupants.

LESSONS FROM HIGHPROFILE FATALITIES

In a high-profile crash in China involving a premium electric vehicle, bystanders rushed to...